The Boy and the Bread

What if the boy who offered his lunch to Jesus was more than just a passing detail in the Gospel story?

In The Boy and the Bread, Allen Lyle invites readers into a thoughtful, imaginative retelling of one of the most familiar miracles in the Bible: the feeding of the five thousand. Told through the eyes of a young boy named Shimon, this story explores what might have happened before, during, and after the miracle that began with five loaves and two fish.

Blending biblical faithfulness with carefully crafted imagination, this book follows Shimon from early childhood in Bethsaida through formative years shaped by family, faith, and quiet acts of obedience. Along the way, readers witness ordinary moments that slowly prepare him for an extraordinary day. The miracle itself is not treated as spectacle, but as a deeply personal turning point in a young life.

The story does not stop there.

Years later, as Jesus' ministry draws crowds and controversy, Shimon finds himself once again standing near the Teacher-this time as a child welcomed when others tried to turn him away. In this final encounter, the book gently asks a question Scripture leaves unanswered: What if Jesus remembered the boy who once trusted Him with a simple lunch?

This is not a retelling meant to replace Scripture.

It is a companion story designed to help readers slow down, reflect, and see familiar passages from a fresh perspective.

Written in a warm, accessible style with moments of quiet humor and reflection, The Boy and the Bread is ideal for readers who enjoy devotional fiction, thoughtful biblical imagination, and stories that encourage faith through everyday obedience.