Incident at Hawk's Hill

A Newbery Honor classic that is well worth a read with boys and girls.  The story is skillfully told by Allan Eckert.  As a young man, Allan Eckert hitch-hiked around the United States, living off the land and learning about wildlife. He began writing about nature and American history at the age of thirteen, eventually becoming an author of numerous distinguished books for children and adults. Seven of his books have been nominated for the Pulitzer Prize in literature. Incident at Hawk's Hill, won the Newbery Honor award in 1972.

In this story, six-year-old Ben gets lost in the wilderness near his farm.  The setting is the vast prairies outside of Winnipeg in 1870.  Ben has a gift for communicating with animals.  He uses this unique skill to establish a bond with a female badger who has recently been injured by an animal trap.  While caught in the trap, the badger's new litter dies.  Ben ends up helping heal the badger's injured foot and the badger adopts Ben as one of her own.  An endearing relationship develops between boy and badger and a page-turning survival story unfolds.

This is the kind of book that I love to discover for the first time. I found it at a public library sale.  Well-worn and yellowed, it was a real treat to read with my eleven-year-old daughter.  It's not easy to find copies of, so I feel lucky to have found one for less than $1.00. What a deal!

The Bone Collector's Son

I'm thrilled to have found Paul's Yee's 2003 story, The Bone Collector's Son.

Summary:

It is 1907 in Vancouver. Fourteen-year-old Bing-wing Chan resents his father, not only because the man gambles away all their money, but also because he now forces Bing to help him in his gruesome job. Ba is the bone collector, the one who digs up skeletons of deceased Chinese so that they can be sent home to China for permanent burial. Sinister things start happening soon after Bing accompanies his father to the graveyard.

Reviews:
"...a worthwhile read for its unique plot that combines mystery, ghosts and embedded Chinese folk tales. As well, it is one of Yee's most well-written, intriguing novels. It will appeal to male readers who may discover that most 14-year-olds endure similar internal struggles in self identity no matter from what culture they come."
--CM (Canadian Review of Materials) Vol. 10, No. 16, 8 April 2004

"Yee intertwines realism and ghost story very naturally, bringing both material circumstances and traditional spiritual beliefs alive. Earnest, courageous Bing makes an appealing protagonist, and the story, with its quick dialogue and precise allusions to region and culture is always engaging."
--Toronto Star 28 March 2004.

"Vancouver's Chinatown in 1907 is the setting for this novel, in which the spirits of the dead come back to haunt the living. Despite the subject matter, Paul Yee's light, deft touch ensures that his book is anything but ghoulish.
--Globe and Mail 17 January 2004

"Paul Yee is building up an impressive body of work. His background in Canadian history serves him well, but his real strength lies in his ability to let history serve the story, instead of the other way around. [This] is a profluent, tightly paced, highly enjoyable story that happens to take place neither long ago nor far away."
--Vancouver Sun, 8 November 2003.

To Learn more about Paul Yee's amazing work, click here: http://www.paulyee.ca/index.php

Into The Land of Snows

A troubled, sixteen year old Blake travels to Base Camp on Mt. Everest to spend time with his physician father.  When a deadly avalanche occurs, Dad is forced to rethink things and sends Blake off the mountain.  Now accompanied by a Sherpa guide, and in possession of a mysterious camera, Blake undertakes a journey which will challenge everything he believes.  In the magical Himalayas, he will be forever changed by what he experiences.

This very cool adventure story is by Ellis Nelson.  Ellis has worked as an Air Force officer, government contractor, and teacher.  She has had an interest in Buddhism since childhood.  Currently, she lives in the Denver area with her husband.

To learn more about Ellis Nelson's work, click here.

The Rock of Ivanore

The annual Great Quest is about to be announced in Quendel, a task that will determine the future of Marcus and the other boys from the village who are coming of age. The wizard Zyll commands them to find the Rock of Ivanore, but he doesn't tell them what the Rock is exactly, or where it can be found. Marcus must reach deep within himself to develop new powers of magic and find the strength to survive the wild lands and fierce enemies he encounters as he searches for the illusive Rock. With more twists and turns than a labyrinth, and a story in which nothing is as it seems, this tale of deception and discovery keeps readers in suspense until the end.


This unique novel is by Laurisa White Reyes.  Laurisa has been writing since the age of 5 when she wrote her first poem on a scrap of poster board. After earning a degree in English at California State University at Northridge, she spent thirteen years writing for various magazines and newspapers, working as a book editor, and teaching creative writing. She gave up all that six years ago to follow her lifelong dream of writing novels.  Besides writing, Laurisa is also a voracious reader. She also loves musical theater, chocolate, sushi, ancient history, bearded dragons, and rain storms.  She lives in Southern California with her husband, 5 children, 4 birds, 2 lizards, 2 turtles, 1 fish, 1 dog, and a partridge in a pear tree.


To learn more about Laurisa White Reyes, click here.

Corporal Ron's Borneo Warrior Rescue

Corporal Ron’s Borneo Warrior Rescue is an adventure story that should appeal to boys aged 10+, as well as eco-warriors. It is a unique, fast-paced story about a fascinating country and a long forgotten “secret” war. Featuring Ron, a Royal Air Force radio operator, working amongst the Dayaks of Borneo, the story follows the perilous mission that Ron and two young warriors undertake through the rainforest. Along the way they must each face challenges while learning about the others cultures and the ways of the jungle.

This story is also a great introduction to one of our rare rainforests: Borneo and its people, flora and fauna. This well-researched war-time story has drama, wit and fun. Information panels, at the end of each section, highlight the plight of the endangered species such as orang utans.

The story is a work of fiction by Sandra Arthur. It was written as a tribute to her father. As a child, Sandra lived with her family in Singapore, while her father worked in Borneo. She has since lived in various cities in the United Kingdom, briefly spent time in Canada and travelled extensively around North America, Europe and Asia, including Borneo.

She is passionate about Borneo and has devoted much of her free time to promoting and raising funds to assist the endangered orangutans. To learn more about Sandra, click here.

CHEETAH

With great admiration and respect, I highly recommend CHEETAH. This refreshing book is by Suzi Eszterhas, an award-winning wildlife photographer based in California. Best known for her work documenting family life on the African savanna, she has undertaken commissions and led instructional photography tours and workshops everywhere from Antarctica to the Arctic and Alaska to Montana. Suzi is a member of the prestigious International League of Conservation Photographers, and her books encourage children to respect and appreciate wildlife. Her books feature a list of organizations and websites where children and educators can find more information on how to protect wild cheetahs and gorillas. Suzi's photographs have been published in books, magazines and newspapers all over the world and she is a Fellow of the International League of Conservation Photographers.

To learn more about Suzi's published work, click here.

Interference

Have a boy who loves hockey? Canadian author, Lorna Schultz Nicholson has a wonderful series of hockey books. The first in a series of eight books is INTERFERENCE.

In INTERFERENCE Josh has finally made it to an elite hockey team and is determined to play as well as his older brother Matt. But Josh is so tired all the time. Little does everyone know, Josh’s undiagnosed Type 1 diabetes is working against him- and getting more serious by the day. This story has a great inner and outer goal for Josh, our protagonist. I highly recommend trying this series with a boy who loves sports, but is a reluctant reader. The subject matter is appealing to boys and the reading level is challenging enough, but not too hard for struggling readers. It's very important for us to serve up many reading choices for boys.

These awesome hockey books are written by Lorna Schultz Nicholson. Lorna grew up in St. Catharines, Ontario, and as a child loved to read and write. But then athletics took over and she put it all aside to be a jock. She even went so far as to get her B Sc. in Human Performance from the University of Victoria. With her degree, she worked as the Fitness and Recreation Co-ordinator at UVic where she also coached rowing.

To learn more about Lorna Schultz Nicholson's books, click here.