Tag: Adventure

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King of the Wind by Marguerite Henry

Were you one of those children who adored horses? Do you have a child who devours every book on horses that she can get her hands on?

Then you have probably read books by Marguerite Henry.

I didn’t. As a kid, I liked horses. I liked their soulful eyes and soft noses. I appreciated their loyalty to their owners. I liked them. But I didn’t love them. So I passed over all of Marguerite Henry’s works for historical books or mystery series or the nurse series like Sue Barton and Cherry Ames.

Since I like to hunt for vintage books at my library, I noticed King of the Wind. I read it. Now I remember why Black Beauty was the first and only horse book I ever read. I felt so sorry for the stallion, I couldn’t take the sorrow. Fifty years later, my soul hasn’t changed. I almost put down Henry’s Newbery Medal winner because my heart couldn’t stand so much injustice.

Synopsis

Sham, this magnificent bay stallion born to run, and Agba, the stable boy who takes care of him, travel the world in the 1700s. Sham was to be a beautiful gift to the king of France, but by the time he arrives in that country, the ship’s crew has starved the horse into a shadow of himself. The king, a bit insulted by the scrawny gift,  assigns Sham to pull a cart.

Overworked and underfed, Sham almost dies. He’s rescued! But shortly after, circumstances place him in dire straits once again.

Spoiler: there is a bittersweet, happy ending.

Pros

  1. Everything that makes for a good story. Heroes, villains, and an ending that may surprise the reader. (I was surprised.)
  2. Marguerite Henry might be the leading author who can stir the reader with emotion regarding a horse and the person who loves him most.

Cons

  1. Like me, tender hearts may wish to save themselves the tears.
  2. Published in 1948, the narrative is not terse and to-the-point like modern writing. So acclimate and enjoy!

Discussion Questions

  1. What is your opinion of a world that treats people and animals in the way that Sham and Agba were treated?
  2. Why is the cat important to this story? (I can’t leave out the cat! He’s one of the main characters!)
  3. Think of several of the minor characters in this story. If you were one of them, how might you have tried to help Sham and Agba?

Conclusion

As I dug a little deeper into the making of this novel, I discovered a tantalizing fact. The story is based on truth! Most thoroughbred horses today who run in the Triple Crown are descended from Sham, a horse who never had the chance to glory in an official race. He became known as the Godolphin Arabian and sired three champions. Those sons have provided the world with centuries of descendants who live for the joy of competition. Man O’ War and Seabiscuit are only two famous examples in recent times.

A quote from the book:

But some animals, like some men, leave a trail of glory behind them. They give their spirit to the place where they have lived, and remain forever a part of the rocks and streams and the wind and sky.

That was Sham.

Yes, I understand why children love to read books about horses.

 

 

 

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The Final Paladin by T.J. Akers

T.J. Akers describes The Final Paladin as “urban fantasy.” I would amend that to historical urban fantasy given that its real-world setting takes place at the turn of the 20th century.

Filled with crusaders, murders, a mysterious key, and a host of fantastical creatures, I recommend this YA novel for older readers of the genre. While no explicit blood and gore is splashed on the pages, the tensions and the complicated twists of the plot will appeal to adults as well as teens.

SYNOPSIS

(from the back cover): Life for Peg Bowman is rough in the infamous slums of Five Points, New York, but her brother’s murder changes everything.

Thrust into incredible worlds beyond any story she’s ever heard, Peg meets Sir Godfrey, an eleven hundred year old knight from Charlemagne’s court, trainer of Paladins. He reveals to Peg her family’s ancient obligation to protect the Key of Apollyon, a relic of immense power. She is the last descendant of the Paladins and his only hope for keeping it safe.

When Godfrey confides her brother was murdered because of the Key, Peg rejects her calling and demands revenge, a luxury she can ill afford as otherworldly creatures seek her death to claim the Key’s power for themselves.

Can Godfrey and his faithful retinue–Chim the Hobgoblin, Rebecca the Jewish maven and healer, and Jack the sometimes human and sometimes seven-foot black dog–keep her safe and convince her that her calling is worth pursuing? Or will she succumb to the Key’s lure and wield it for revenge?

I don’t usually go for the “tantalizing final question” on a book jacket blurb, but this one is good. It’s not rhetorical, and I really didn’t know the answer before reading the novel.

PROS

1. Plenty of action in a fantasy world keeps readers on their toes.

2. Akers challenges the readers’ deductive skills as they try to unravel the clues which could help Peg fulfill her duty as the final Paladin.

CONS

Some parents may not want their teens exposed to legendary creatures of darkness. I find the story too dark for my taste, which is why I’ve recommended it for older readers.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. Define “Paladin.”

2. Why is Jack sometimes in human form and sometimes in dog form?

3. What happened in Peg’s early childhood that allowed her to meet the challenges presented by Sir Godfrey?

CONCLUSION

If you or your child like dark fantasy with Christian values camouflaged within the plot, you’ll like The Final Paladin.

 

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Shadow of a Bull by Maia Wojciechowska

The publishing powers-that-be claim today’s readers are impatient. If you don’t hook them on the first page, the first paragraph even, you’re not publishable.  Vintage Reads always start a little slower. Teach your children patience for this book.  In turn, it will teach them how to respond to life’s challenges with integrity and faith, especially appropriate for middle grade boys as they search for what will make them good men.

Synopsis

The first paragraph caught my interest. Everyone in the bullfighting town of Arcangel expected Manolo to follow in his father’s footsteps as a bullfighter. The rest of the chapter? Not so interesting because the writing style is from fifty years ago –until the last lines that added deeper emotion: “…that hero had left them a son who was growing up once again to take arms against death. They were waiting for the son to be like his father.”

Except the son had no interest in becoming a bullfighter, which is the gist of the plot. How Manolo comes to terms with honor and bringing pride to his family and his town is what makes Shadow of a Bull a gripping read.

Pros

  1. Maia Wojciechowska gives us an enlightening peek into the world of bullfighting. Personally, I have always been adamantly against the “sport,” but the author shows us the spirit of a magnificent bull. As one character put it (and  I paraphrase): such a creature prefers to die in battle rather than be shoved into a slaughterhouse unable to defend himself.
  2.  Manolo’s character matures as he prepares for his first bullfight (at the age of twelve!). His final decision will please the bullfighter aficionado as well as  those who abhor bloodsport.

Cons

As with any Vintage Read, children of the 21st century will find it difficult to stay with the long descriptions and inner monologue, so maybe it can be a read-aloud for the whole family.

Discussion Questions

Lots of deep thinking abounds! I will limit myself to three.

  1. Why didn’t Manolo just tell people (or at least his mother) that he didn’t want to be a bullfighter?
  2. Did Manolo ever see the beauty in bullfighting? Explain your answer.
  3.  Did you like Manolo’s final decision? Why or why not?

Conclusion

If your public library, like mine, has a section on Newbery Awards, Shadow of a Bull should be there. Relish the story.

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Pirate’s Wager by Kathrese McKee

Pirates. Life on the high seas. Betrayal. Held for ransom. Pirate’s Wager fulfills the dream of every reader who loves swashbuckling adventure.

SYNOPSIS

Thirteen-year-old Samazor struggles to find shelter and food in Port Azor, but when his father loses a bet with an infamous pirate captain, Samazor loses his freedom. Life on a pirate ship is full of danger. Who can the boy trust? Any mistake will be costly. As Samazor struggles to survive, he learns about brotherhood.

PROS

1. Pirate’s Wager is a novella, a prequel to McKee’s Mardan’s Mark series, so it’s a short, easy read.

2. Every chapter is filled with adventure. The story rarely slows down for the reader to catch a breath.

CONS

1. This is my own personal pet peeve. When a novella is written and a series follows, I hate the “carrot” that is dangled in front of me. I finish the story, and I know there is more—just buy the next book. But I want the book now!

2. Again, for me, I want the depth of detail in a full-length novel, but for many young readers, they will be satisfied with the surface action of a good adventure story.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. Samazor’s father was not a good parent. Why do you think Sam loved his father in spite of all his imperfections?

2. Did any of the pirates have some good character qualities? If you think so, who can you name, and why did you choose him?

3. Would you have made the same decision as Samazor at the end of the book?

CONCLUSION

If you enjoy epic fantasy adventure, Pirate’s Wager along with its companion Mardan’s Mark series is a good choice for you.

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The Other Side of Freedom by Cynthia Toney

Last month I interviewed one of the Scriblerians’ own, Cynthia Toney, regarding her Birdface series. Cynthia also has another book out which is historical fiction, and I loved the story. I don’t give five stars all that often, so you know it’s wonderful!

Synopsis

In a southern U.S. farming community in 1925, thirteen-year-old Salvatore and his Italian immigrant father become involved against their will in a crime that results in the murder of an innocent man and family friend. Amidst bigotry, bootlegging, police corruption, and gangland threats, Sal must discover whom he can trust in order to protect himself and his family and win back his father’s freedom. Sal’s family, their African-American farmhand, and the girl who is Sal’s best friend find their lives forever changed as dreams are shattered and attitudes challenged in a small community called Freedom.

Pros

1. Books set in America in the 1920s are not nearly as numerous as those set during World War II or the Civil War. Cynthia Toney brings the Prohibition Era to life, living in a time of gangsters  and graft.

2. The premise of the story is based on moral dilemma. A young teen finds there is no easy right or wrong answer as to what he should do. If he does what he knows is morally right, someone dies. If he compromises his values, evil continues, and he is guilty of allowing it to continue. Middle-graders are ready to confront ambiguities in life, and Cynthia Toney does a marvelous job of keeping Sal’s anguish at a gentle level rather than going at the problem with a battering ram.

3. The Other Side of Freedom has won several national awards with good reason. I’ve included a small portion of the list.

2018 Next Generation Indie Book Awards: 1st Place, Grand Prize Fiction, 1st Place, Children’s/Juvenile Fiction.

2018 Readers’ Favorite Book Awards: Gold Medal, Children: Coming of Age

2018 Literary Classics Book Awards: Gold, Upper Middle Grade, General and Gold, Upper Middle Grade, Historical.

Cons

What cons?

Discussion Questions

1. Why do you think Sal wanted to leave Freedom as soon as he was old enough?

2. Sal’s Uncle Enzo was both a friend and a mentor to him. Why was Sal so concerned for him?

3. Name something Sal chose to do that his parents would not have approved of. Why did he do it? Was that a good reason?

4. Why did Antonina’s father want her to stop being friends with Sal?

Conclusion

The Other Side of Freedom is a novel of struggle and hope, of friendships gained and friendships lost. With a boy as a main character and a girl as a strong secondary character, children of either gender will enjoy the book.

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Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O’Dell

I read this Newbery winner when I was in junior high school. Ordinarily, I didn’t go for man-against-nature type of stories. I didn’t go for a novel told in first person present tense. But Island of the Blue Dolphins featured a girl who had to survive totally alone on her island. And when the author introduced a dog? I was hooked.

In order to review Scott O’Dell’s masterpiece, I read the book again.  I now appreciate the story even more than when I was a kid. And would you believe it? The Author’s Note at the end provides a Big Reveal which I never bothered to read when I was twelve. Boy, did I miss out! It took many years into adulthood to realize other portions of a book can be interesting as the novel itself.

This is what I missed the first time around: Island of the Blue Dophins is based on a true story. The island really exists, named San Nicolas, not far off the coast of southern California. A girl really did live alone on the island for eighteen years from 1835 to 1853. She was known as The Lost Woman of San Nicolas and is buried near the Santa Barbara Mission. If I had known this, I would have been begging my parents to take a vacation to California, and the book would have made my Top Five.

Synopsis

Aleuts and Russians visit Karana’s island, over hunt the otter, and break the trade agreement with her tribe.  When her people object, the Aleuts kill most of the men. The new chief decides they should move to a new country, but Karana, at the tender of age of twelve, is accidentally left behind. She knows they will not be able to come back for her until the next summer. However, she has learned survival skills. She is sure she can make it through the winter.

Summers continue to pass, and no one returnsr. How she thrives as the solitary human on her island becomes the fascination of the story. She builds a new home and makes sure it is well-provisioned. She gathers food and makes weapons to defend herself against wild dogs. She befriends the wounded leader of the pack, who remains her faithful companion. After many years, a new ship arrives to rescue her.

Pros

  1. Children who enjoy nonfiction books will like this fiction book as they see how Karana tames animals, gathers food, and fashions tools that she can use to survive.
  2. Children who enjoy fiction will love how Karana builds relationships with animals and accepts friendship from a girl of the enemy camp.
  3. Karana’s courage is amazing and without bravado. She takes each day at a time and doesn’t waste hours feeling sorry for herself. She doggedly survives. Kids will recognize what an admirable character she is.

Cons

  1. Today’s editors would not be happy with the fact that there is no huge climax. Instead,  Karana grows up by herself, she learns to adapt and practice skills traditionally reserved for the men of her tribe, and she accepts the help of strangers when given the opportunity to join civilization once again.
  2. At no time is there a huge “aha” moment, although she slowly accepts the fact that no one is coming for her. She is content to live alone.

Discussion Questions

  1. What quality to you admire most about Karana?
  2. How was Karana different from her little brother Ramo?
  3. Why did Karana choose to never kill otters or seals or dogs again?
  4. What do we call the “devil fish?”

Conclusion

Island of the Blue Dolphins is one of those ageless stories. Adults and children alike will find something new to love with every read.

 

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Julie by Catherine Marshall

Catherine Marshall is famous for her novel Christie. I don’t want to review it here because it has won so many awards I have to believe everyone who reads Scriblerians is fully aware of the beautiful story. A true classic.

But are all of you aware of her other novel? Julie? She only wrote two, and Julie was published after her death.

Based on events in Catherine’s young womanhood, Julie Wallace is the eighteen-year-old daughter of a pastor who has left his position to become a newspaper publisher in a small, steel-working town during the Depression years of 1934-35. The challenges that follow in their new life also force Julie to evaluate her understanding of God. As tempers rise within the town and as danger approaches, Julie will discover just how strong her faith is–or is not.

Pros

  1. Julie makes for a great YA read. While conflicts abound, Catherine Marshall makes sure the story is wholesome.
  2. The best realistic fiction places readers so deeply in the story they feel they “are there.” Julie, like Christie, does that.
  3. The message of faith and family as most important runs through the entire novel.
  4. Pastor Wallace’s deep faith provides an excellent balance to Julie’s questions regarding her own.
  5. The details in the flood scene are amazing! Based on the Johnstown Flood of 1889, Marshall uses her research to create a similar flood from a dam break. Those details remain vivid in my memory thirty years after reading the book!

Cons

  1. Many readers don’t like the love triangle. I don’t have a problem with it. It’s a secondary plot to moral questions regarding the greed of steel mill owners versus the downtrodden union organizers. Besides, competing suitors do arise in real life. Julie is not mature enough to handle the situation perfectly, which is why the book is so realistic and why readers identify so well with Marshall’s characters.

Discussion Questions

  1. Julie always wanted to be a writer so she is thrilled to have a job with her father at the newspaper. What would be the perfect job for you?
  2. With the problems between the steelworkers and the mill owners getting worse, Julie and her father had to make some difficult decisions as to what was the right thing to do as they wrote for the newspaper. What would you do if powerful people tried to stop you from doing what you knew was right?
  3. Terrible things happened during the flood. And wonderful, heroic actions happened, too. What do you think you will remember most about the flood?

 

The setting of the newspaper business in a town struggling with union issues provides fodder for much family discussion on ethics and morality. Talking about your family’s value system and how it relates to the world is one of the most precious teaching opportunities you can provide for your children. Julie is one tool you can use in those discussions.

 

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Sleepers by Darcy Pattison

Sleepers is the first in The Blue Planets Trilogy—notice the plural in Planets.

Based on the premise that Earth is not the only planet that can sustain life as we know it, the people on Rison, another blue planet, need to evacuate because their world is ready to implode. They seek refuge on Earth and propose a workable arrangement. The Risonians have gills, as well as lungs, and are perfectly capable of living underwater. They could reside on the ocean floor while Earthlings continued on the surface of the planet. As with any public project, opinions abound, and debate is fierce.

Fourteen-year-old Jake Rose, half-human and half alien, now lives on earth with his human grandparents while his mother, who is the Risonian ambassador to Earth, works to arrive at a peaceful compromise for both parties. Jake accidentally discovers that Earth’s elite ELLIS forces are trying to sabotage Mt. Rainier in hopes an eruption can be blamed on the Risonian aliens. Although he doesn’t realize it immediately, Jake himself may hold the key to prevent ELLIS from destroying their own planet. Meanwhile, Risonians have their own darker factions, and in the midst of interplanetary tensions, a mysterious illness affects some creatures and not others.

Pros

  1. Truly science fiction, Darcy Pattison offers her readers an entertaining education on volcanology, astronomy, and anatomy. The idea of a person with both gills and lungs fascinated me.
  2. Mysteries and suspense abound. Why does Blevins hate the Risonians? Why are seals dying in Puget Sound? Why has Em disappeared? Are there other Risonians already on earth—Sleepers? Will brown matter destroy earth in the same way that it destroyed Rison? Will Jake and his biological father be able to stop the saboteurs?
  3. The story is complex. Yes, the villains do evil things, but as Jake investigates them, he learns more of their history, which allows the reader to sympathize with Blevins and Hill.
  4. Pattison offers a romantic interest for Jake, the final ingredient to mix into a great YA story.

 

Cons

  1. Pattison gives no graphic details, but the moral ambivalence regarding Jake’s mom’s relationships with Blake Rose on earth and Swann Quad-de on Rison bothered me. This detail might go over the heads of some middle grade readers, but others will have questions, so parents, be prepared with an answer! Pattison, who is a Christian, provided me with one answer: not all cultures share Christian beliefs, Rison being one of those cultures.

 

Discussion Questions

  1. If you had both lungs and gills, where would you prefer to live? On land or under the sea?
  2. Mr. Blevins had to face consequences for his previous, dishonest actions. Was he right to be angry and seek revenge? Why or why not?
  3. Name one thing you learned about volcanoes through this novel.
  4. Is there really such a thing as brown matter? Do a little research and prove your answer!

 

 

 

 

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Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys

 

The Importance of This Story

This novel brings to life the plight of millions of citizens of Poland, Lithuania, and Prussia (a country that no longer exists), who were victims of both Nazi and Russian brutality during World War II. Descriptions of the horrors these people endured or succumbed to were sometimes hard to read, yet I wanted to learn more about this lesser known part of the war’s history.

Characterization, the Feature I Value Most

The characters become acquainted with one another while trying to escape both the Communist Russians and the Nazis. Talk about being caught in the middle! The characters’ goal is to reach a ship on the Baltic Sea coast that will take them to safety. On the way, they demonstrate their tendencies toward self-sacrifice or self-absorption. I don’t recall profanity used as a crutch for characterization.

These fictional characters are so very human within a real historical event that I didn’t mind the story being told from many points of view. And I rarely enjoy a novel with more than one or two points of view, which I feel is usually all that is necessary.

Is it Young Adult, or … ?

I don’t consider this a YA novel, as it is promoted. Because of the maturity of the main characters and the more adult content, I’d label it New Adult. Only one of the main characters appears to be a teen. The rest are twentyish or at least older than the protagonist in most YA, and the two that carry the story (IMO) are the nurse and the mysterious soldier. Teens may be disappointed in it (or shocked) unless they love history and don’t mind the seriousness and brutality in the story. However, I recommend it to emotionally mature teens over the age of 14 who might be interested. This novel could be called a coming-of-age story in the most extreme sense of the term.

 

Pros:

  1. Provides lesson in lesser-known events of World War II
  2. Well written
  3. Acceptable for Christian teens over 14 years old who are not overly sensitive to violence

 

Cons:

  1. Labeled YA but more NA
  2. Graphic descriptions of horror and brutality
  3. Sad ending based on fact
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The Dark is Rising by Susan Cooper Book 2 of 5

 Synopsis:

Will Stanton, seventh son of a seventh son is turning eleven and this birthday marks the beginning  of his awakening as the last of the Old Ones. The Dark is Rising tells how Will, met by Merriman Lyon, comes to power in the modern world and must accumulate the six “signs” to help fight the rising Dark.

Pros:

  • This is a basic story about Good versus Evil and how everyone must at some point make a stand for one or the others.
  • The pros in this book is stunning example where art and popular stories merge into one well done novel. Susan Cooper is hitting her stride after book one and doesn’t seem to look back.
  • This was one of the first fantasy novels to break into the Newbery Awards, which was no small feat back when it was originally written.
  • The story is well paced and full of suspense and creepy backdrops, but that might fall under the Con category.

Cons:

  • I really can’t think of any, but if you have a problem Arthur tales and the legends of Cornwall England, this may not be the book for your reader.
  • Like in the review for Book One of the series, I don’t find this story antithetical to anyone’s beliefs unless you’re an atheist. Since this is only fiction, I can’t imagine anyone taking a story so literally that it would cause them problems.

Final Word:

I cannot say enough good about this novel. This was one of two novels responsible for turning me into a reader.If you have any qualms as an adult, I recommend you read it first before you turn it over to your young reader.