Engaging from the very first page, this is one work of historical fiction that will have even readers who prefer fantasy...
The nature of luck, fortune and fate is dissected and reexamined over the course of this outstanding novel.
Born with only one ear, Luc considers his lot in life distinctly unlucky. His father hates him, seemingly without reason, so when the chance arises to apprentice with a local fisherman, the boy leaps at it. Living with the fisherman’s family he grows close to their ward, the beautiful Beatrice, and things seem to be looking up… until he’s kidnapped by pirates and sold to a Tunisian in North Africa. While Luc receives an education from his learned master, Beatrice looks into Luc’s past and discovers that he is the discarded son of a particularly vicious count. Though the plot falls into familiar territory—a hero discovers his true parentage—Leeds sets the book up as more of a historical conspiracy tale. Indeed, Beatrice’s attempts to unravel the truth reveal the dead count’s vast cover-up, unknown to even Luc's brother. Leeds writes delicately, fleshing out each character as a fully realized human being. Set in 15th-century France and Tunisia, the book is also meticulously researched, throwing readers into a past that feels fresh and new.
Engaging from the very first page, this is one work of historical fiction that will have even readers who prefer fantasy clamoring for a sequel. (Historical fiction. 9-12)Pub Date: June 14, 2012
ISBN: 978-0-670-01398-2
Page Count: 256
Publisher: Viking
Review Posted Online: April 3, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2012
BOOK REVIEW
Although the language is a bit stilted and the message far from subtle, this Danish translation, first in a four-part...
When Leiv, a Viking boy, is shipwrecked near Greenland, two Inuit siblings, Apuluk and Narua, rescue him and eventually bring him to their community.
In 1000 C.E., Norsemen traveled to Greenland, but there were few contacts with the Inuit community. At first, the Inuits want nothing to do with Leiv, but because he demonstrates that he knows some of their language and seems peaceful, they accept him. This is a harsh adventure tale: Leiv loses several toes due to frostbite, and Apuluk is attacked by a polar bear. From its opening scene of a blood feud started by Leiv’s father’s killing and the rigors of Arctic life, the characters act as adults despite their adolescent ages. The Inuit life is idealized, in comparison to the warlike, possession-hungry Norse culture. Narua is portrayed as a fearless young woman, but then she only wants a needle when the three young people find the Norse settlement near the end. Is Riel’s message a little heavy? Heavily illustrated with full-page bold, stylized watercolors, some double-page spreads and occasional vignettes, this transitional chapter book employs a large font and very generous white space.
Although the language is a bit stilted and the message far from subtle, this Danish translation, first in a four-part series, will appeal to those seeking adventure, strong friendship and survival stories at a lower reading level than usual . (Adventure. 9-11)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2011
ISBN: 978-1-84686-335-6
Page Count: 112
Publisher: Barefoot Books
Review Posted Online: July 19, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2011
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
It is 1855 in Manhattan and Maria Peters is 13 years old. The African-American girl wants nothing more than to take part in the local abolitionist meetings, but getting into fights in the schoolyard and failing her class sewing project lead Mama to believe she isn’t mature enough to attend. But when the new girl at school turns out to be a runaway slave, Maria has a chance to show her family that her commitment to freedom is serious. Set against the backdrop of a New York City that was in the process of evicting free blacks and Irish and German immigrant families from the area that became Central Park, this straightforward series opener aims for the cozy feel of the Little House or All-of-a-Kind Family books, rich with details of Maria’s home and school life. Unfortunately, Hansen misses that mark with occasionally didactic dialogue and slow pacing. Still, young readers will find the setting fascinating, and this will pair well with Tonya Bolden’s nonfiction Maritcha: A Nineteenth-Century American Girl (2005). (Historical fiction. 9-12)
Pub Date: Dec. 21, 2010
ISBN: 978-0-7868-5217-8
Page Count: 288
Publisher: Disney-Jump at the Sun
Review Posted Online: Dec. 22, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2010
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