An exorcist has condemned a children's book that encourages youngsters to 'summon demons' to help with chores and homework.

A Children's Book of Demons, published in the US and aimed at five to ten year olds, contains symbols to 'call up' colourful characters that are also aimed at helping them get rid of bullies and eating their dinner, by transforming it into a plate of cookies.

However, in a bizarre twist, the President of the International Association of Exorcists Father Francesco Bamonte, has blasted the literary work as putting children 'at risk of bringing demons into their home' and proposing satanism as 'a normal alternative to other religions'.

A Children's Book of Demons is aimed at five to ten year olds and contains symbols to 'call up' the book's colourful characters that could help children with chores and homework

The Roman Catholic priest said in a statement last week: 'You don't mess around with demons. Whoever invites a child to summon a demon is like a person who puts a grenade in their hands to play with.

'Sooner or later the child will pull the pin and the bomb will explode in their hands.'

He also criticised the symbols as being 'very similar' to those used for 'grimoires' and in 'manuals of magic spells that teach, with meticulous detail, the procedures necessary to contact evil spirits'.

The book has also been slammed online as 'pure evil' and 'satanic garbage'.

One reader wrote: 'This is purely satanic. What kind of children's book teaches kids to summon demons and write sigils?'

One of the demons in the book can help children by turning their boring dinner into a plate of cookies

And another can help them when they have problems with flatulence

The work by author Aaron Leighton was published by Koyama Press in July this year.

A description of it says: 'Grab your coloured pencils and sigil drawing skills and dial up some demons!

'This paranormal parody is filled to the brim with funny spirits more silly than scary!'

One reader wrote online that the book is 'creative, funny and cute'.