Children's & Young Adult Historical Fiction

ALOHA MEANS COME BACK: The Story of a World War II Girl
by Dorothy & Thomas Hoobler. B&W illustrations by Cathie Bleck and Leslie Dunlap. Condition: UNREAD 1991 Silver Burdett Press hardcover & DJ (in mylar jacket), first ediiton, first printing. Content: Laura and her mother join her Navy father in Hawaii in 1941, where suspicion against the Japanese-American residents runs high in an atmosphere of expectation that the United States and Japan will go to war. The last chapter in the book is a really neat guide to making a lei - complete with diagrams on how-to. Questions welcome. [1 copy available]
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AFTER THE WAR (An ALA Best Book for Young Adults)
by Carol Matas. B&W maps. Condition: UNREAD 1996 Aladdin paperback, first printing. Bookstore stamp half-title page. Tiny edgewear. Content: "Didn't the gas ovens finish you all off?" is the response that meets Ruth Mendenberg when she returns to her village in Poland after the liberation of Buchenwald at the end of World War II. Her entire family wiped out in the Holocaust, the fifteen-year-old girl has nowhere to go. Members of the underground organization Brichah find her, and she joins them in their dangerous quest to smuggle illegal immigrants to Palestine. Ruth risks her life to help lead a group of children on a daring journey over half a continent and across the sea to Eretz Israel, using secret routes and forged documents -- and sheer force of will. This adventure will touch readers, who will marvel at the resources and inner strength of mere children helping other children to find a place in this world in which they can belong. Carol Matas, one of the foremost authors of historical fiction, brings the desperation and passion of this remarkable journey to life. Grades 7 - 10 +. Questions welcome. [1 copy available]
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AT THE SIGN OF THE SUGARED PLUM
by Mary Hooper. Condition: NEW 2003 Bloomsbury Trade Paperback, 4th printing. Content: Hannah arrives in London in 1665 to help her sister run her sweetmeats shop just as the plague is taking hold of the city. While at first it seems far away in the poorer sections, it gradually creeps closer to Hannah and Sarah. Soon, nearby houses are being shut up and neighbors and acquaintances are dying. The sisters feel trapped, waiting for the time bomb that is the plague to explode. The author convincingly conveys the horror of this epidemic through the senses. From the fetid smell of the streets to the ghastly sights of overwhelming cemeteries, the scope of the disaster is impressively wrought. The story moves quickly and the tension builds at a rapid pace and will hold readers' interest. The book also contains an analysis of the plague and recipes for sweetmeats. A captivating entry in the historical fiction genre. [1copy available]
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THE BIRCHBARK HOUSE
by Louise Erdrich. Wonderful B&W drawings by the Author. Decorated end pages. Condition: NEW 1990 Hyperion hardcover edition & DJ (in mylar jacket), 4th printing. Content: Nineteenth-century American pioneer life was introduced to thousands of young readers by Laura Ingalls Wilder's beloved Little House books. With The Birchbark House, award-winning author Louise Erdrich's first novel for young readers, this same slice of history is seen through the eyes of the spirited, 7-year-old Ojibwa girl Omakayas, or Little Frog, so named because her first step was a hop. The sole survivor of a smallpox epidemic on Spirit Island, Omakayas, then only a baby girl, was rescued by a fearless woman named Tallow and welcomed into an Ojibwa family on Lake Superior's Madeline Island, the Island of the Golden-Breasted Woodpecker. We follow Omakayas and her adopted family through a cycle of four seasons in 1847, including the winter, when a historically documented outbreak of smallpox overtook the island. Readers will be riveted by the daily life of this Native American family, in which tanning moose hides, picking berries, and scaring crows from the cornfield are as commonplace as encounters with bear cubs and fireside ghost stories. Erdrich--a member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Ojibwa--spoke to Ojibwa elders about the spirit and significance of Madeline Island, read letters from travelers, and even spent time with her own children on the island, observing their reactions to woods, stones, crayfish, bear, and deer. The author's softly hewn pencil drawings infuse life and authenticity to her poetic, exquisitely wrought narrative. Omakayas is an intense, strong, likable character to whom young readers will fully relate--from her mixed emotions about her siblings, to her discovery of her unique talents, to her devotion to her pet crow Andeg, to her budding understanding of death, life, and her role in the natural world. We look forward to reading more about this brave, intuitive girl--and wholeheartedly welcome Erdrich's future series to the canon of children's classics. (Ages 9 and older) Questions welcome. [1 copy available]
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BRIAN BORU: Emperor of the Irish
by Morgan Llywelyn. Condition: Very good pre-read 1997 TOR paperback, first MMPB edition, first printing. Spine crease with slight roll. Content: A lively adaptation of Llywelyn's adult novel, Lion of Ireland, relates the story of the tenth-century hero who repelled the Vikings and united his country to become Ireland's first High King. "One thousand years ago, Brian Boru was just a young boy in the west of Ireland when he witnessed the horrors of the Norse invasion--an attack that left his mother and two of his brothers dead. It was then that he swore to one day put an end to his country's suffering. Boru grew to be a great warrior. He fulfilled his dream and became the first High King of a united Ireland--a land where all people could live in safety and and without fear." An excellent introduction to Irish/Celtic history for young adults. [1 copy available]
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CATHERINE, CALLED BIRDY [A Newbery Honor Book]
by Karen Cushman. Brian Leister cover art. Condition: UNREAD 1995 HarperTrophy Trade Paperback, no printing given. Small name stamp inside front cover. Content: This unusual book provides an insider's look at the life of Birdy, 14, the daughter of a minor English nobleman. The year is 1290 and the vehicle for storytelling is the girl's witty, irreverent diary. She looks with a clear and critical eye upon the world around her, telling of the people she knows and of the daily events in her small manor house. Much of Birdy's energy is consumed by avoiding the various suitors her father chooses for her to marry. She sends them all packing with assorted ruses until she is almost wed to an older, unattractive man she refers to as Shaggy Beard. In the process of telling the routines of her young life, Birdy lays before readers a feast of details about medieval England. The book is rich with information about the food, dress, religious beliefs, manners, health, medical practices, and sanitary habits (or lack thereof) of the people of her day. From the number of fleas she kills in an evening to her herbal medicines laced with urine, Birdy reveals fascinating facts about her time period. A feminist far ahead of her time, she is both believable and lovable. A somewhat philosophical afterword discusses the mind set of medieval people and concludes with a list of books to consult for further information about the period. Superb historical fiction. Grades 6 - 9. [1 copy available]
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DANIEL'S STORY (World War II Historical Fiction)
by Carol Matas. B&W maps. Condition: UNREAD, but not perfect, 1993 Scholastic Trade Paperback, sixth printing. Light shelf wear to front cover fore edge. Interior clean & tight. Content: Daniel, 14 in 1941, describes first his family's sense of belonging in Germany and their refusal to flee their country despite the initial instances of anti-Semitism they experience. By the time the family is ready to acknowledge the seriousness of their situation, no country is willing to accept them. They are first deported from Frankfurt to the Lodz ghetto in Poland; from Lodz they are sent to Auschwitz, and finally, Daniel and his father are marched to Buchenwald. They are the only two members of the family who survive, and are liberated by the Americans. Daniel tells his story through the "pictures" he has; at first real photographs, and then the images in his head. He is a courageous, sensitive, heroic individual who personalizes the events of the Holocaust. His voice rings true; he is portrayed as an extraordinary youth, but these were times that demanded an exceptional response to increase the likelihood of survival. Grades 4 - 8. [1 copy available]
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DRAGON: Hound of Honor (Adapted from the Legend of the Dog of Montargis)
by Julie Andrews Edwards and Emma Walton Hamilton. B&W decorations and maps. Cover art by Tristan Elwell. Condition: UNREAD 2003 Harper Collins hardcover & DJ, first edition, first printing. Content: Thierry is a ward of the Count of Montargis in medieval France. He wants to become a squire to a knight, and is fascinated when a tournament is held on his guardian's estate. But concern arises when Aubrey de Montdidier, the knight betrothed to the Count's daughter, fails to turn up for the festivities. Three days later his horse and faithful hound, Dragon, return to the castle, spooked and injured. Dragon then leads Thierry and Guy DeNarsac to Aubrey's murdered body. As the entire castle mourns his death, Thierry and DeNarsac realize that the clue to the murderer lies with Dragon, the only living witness. Edwards and Hamilton render a beautifully written retelling of "The Legend of the Dog of Montargis." The descriptions of castle life, the tournament, and Paris in the 14th century are well researched and presented in a manner that is both lyrical and thrilling, and the heroics of the knights and of Dragon are exciting. While the complex names and the insertion of French phrases might be confusing at first, a glossary and a family tree aid in understanding. A well-done historical novel with an exciting mystery that will hold the attention of middle-grade readers. Ages 10+. [1 copy available]
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GAWAIN AND LADY GREEN: A Novel (Young Adult Historical Fiction)
by Anne Eliot Crompton. Bridgeman cover art. Condition: UNREAD 1997 Donald Fine hardcover & DJ (in mylar jacket), first printing. Tiny edge wear to DJ top edge with pale "rubbings" back cover (shelf wear rubbing against other books on the shelf). Content: In the two voices of Gawain and Lady Green, this retelling of the Arthurian legend unfolds. Crompton's characters from Merlin's Harp take readers back to the time of Camelot, a place where honor and chivalry are as much a part of life as is breathing for Sir Gawain. Other beliefs, even those of one he has come to love, are betrayed. The book is unique in its presentation of Lady Green as a strong female character, and many teens will identify with the choice she made for love. Differences between the status of men and women in the time of King Arthur are cleverly integrated through the voices of the title characters. Ages: Teens and up. [1 copy available]
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THE GREATEST SKATING RACE: A World War II Story from the Netherlands
by Louise Borden. Color illustrations by Niki Daly. Condition: Gently pre-read, if at all, 2004 McElderry hardcover (pictorial boards) & DJ (in mylar jacket), 6th printing. DJ shows a bit of shelf wear. Content: In this exciting World War II picture book for older children, a boy in the Netherlands helps two children escape to Belgium, where they will be safe from German soldiers. Piet, 10, is inspired by his country's great skating champion, and he has always dreamed of taking part in the famous national race. Now, however, he must race with Johanna and her little brother, Joop, along the frozen canals, past German guards, and over the border to safety. Piet's long, lucid, first-person narrative appears in short dramatic lines ("I could feel the scrape of our blades against the ice / And I could feel the cold air inside my chest"), and Daly's sepia-tone illustrations stay true to the boy's viewpoint, both in the few tense, full-page close-ups (as when the children confront the border guards) and in the spacious views of the kids speeding through the white landscape. The focus on the historic skating race is sometimes confusing, but the war is always in the background, and the physical reality of the thrilling rescue will hold skating fans. [1 copy available]
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I, JUAN de PAREJA (Newbery Medal Book)
by Elizabeth Barton de Trevino. Condition: Gently pre-read 1990 Sunburst Trade paperback, 6th printing. Read to page 32 and abandoned. Interior clean & tight with 1 dog earred page. Small edgewear at corners and top spine. A very nice copy. Content: Based on "thin threads" of truth, "I, Juan de Pareja" explores the relationship between famous 17th-century Spanish painter Diego Velazquez and his black slave, Juan de Pareja. Written in first person as if Juan is really telling his story, it is the chronicle of much of Juan's life and and his colorful experiences as apprentice to a master painter. Historical detail also adds great richness to the book. Author de Trevino has captured the mood of 17th century Spain perfectly, and her accounts of Juan's Italian travels fascinate the reader as well. Art facts and descriptions are well-placed, and the reader will find themselves interested in the rich history presented in the book, rather than bored by it. Furthermore, supporting characters are excellent! The portrayal of Diego Velazquez was well-imagined by the author, and the master painter's comments ring with insight and truth. The nobles, the painter's family, the Spanish king, Dutch painter Ruebens...they all come to life in "I, Juan de Pareja." [1 copy available]
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INDIAN CAPTIVE: The Story of Mary Jemison (Newbery Honor Book)
written & illustrated by Lois Lenski. B&W maps & illustrations. Condition: UNREAD 2004 Scholastic Trade Paperback, 4th printing. Perfect but for a light shelfwear diagonal crease bottom front cover. Content: Twelve-year-old Mary Jemison took her paceful days on her family's farm in eastern Pennsylvania for granted. But on a spring day i 1758, something happened that changed her life forever. A band of warriors invaded the house and took the Jemison family captive. Mary was separated from her parents and brothers and sister. She traveled with the Indians to southern Ohio and later to a Seneca village on the Genesee River in what is now Western New York where she became Dehgewanus, or "Two Falling Voices" . Several times she tried to run away, but the Indians were kind to her and taught her many things about the earth, its plants, and its creatures. Then Mary was finally given the chance to return to the world of white men. But she had become a sister to the Indians. How could she leave them? Based on a true story, hre is the unforgettable tale of the legendary "White Woman of the Genesee." [1 copy available]
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JOURNEY TO AMERICA (Historical Fiction)
by Sonia Levitin. B&W illustrations & cover art by Charles Robinson. Condition: NEW 1986 Aladdin Paperbacks Trade Paperback edition, 19th pritning. Content: Reviewer: "This the story of Lisa Platt, who, along with her mother and sisters, escapes form 1938 Berlin to Switzerland (as did the author's family) to escape persecuction of the Jews. Not only is she torn from her familiar home, she and her mother and sisters are without Lisa's father, who went to America and had them wait in Switzerland until he could send for them. The thing that makes this book memorable are the very believable emotions that Lisa and her family have...saying good-bye to their beloved housekeeper, leaving treasured belongings behind, and living with terrible uncertainty and little money in Switzerland. It is all told though first-person perspective by Lisa, and it brings a "personal" touch to the Holocaust. Journey To America shows us another heart-wrenching journey to the "land of the free" far different than the that of Pilgrims. Winner of the National Jewish Book Award. [1 copy available]
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KISS THE DUST (Historical Fiction)
by Elizabeth Laird. Cover art by Diana Zelvin. Condition: NEW 1994 Puffin Books soft cover, 18th printing. Content: In light of recent news, this is an excellent read for Young Adults. This a story based on the real experiences in the mid-80's of Iraqi Kurds now living in England. For Tara, 13, and her family, their ordeal is cruel and often life-threatening, yet they are among the lucky ones. Wealthy Baba (secretly a power in the Kurdish military) still has money even after repeated searches, while Daya manages to smuggle her jewels. Escaping the police as they leave their luxurious home in a city in northern Iraq, they take a taxi to their primitive vacation house in the mountains. For Tara, the return to village ways is almost as much of a shock as the bombs that eventually drive the family over the border into Iran, to a refugee camp infested with bedbugs and assaulted by deafening prayers rasped from a loudspeaker. Eventually, Baba makes contact with relatives in Teheran and passage to London is negotiated. Ever-present dangers maintain suspense--from a brutal street-killing Tara witnesses to her older brother's miraculous escape; meanwhile, Laird builds a sympathetic picture of the embattled Kurds and a compelling portrait of Tara and the sobering changes wrought in her and her family by the events. [1 copy available]
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MATILDA BONE (Historical Fiction)
by Karen Cushman. Beautiful wrap-around cover illustration by Trina Schart Hyman. Condition: UNREAD 2002 Dell Yearling Trade Paperback, first priting. Light shelfwear to front cover corners. Interior clean & tight. Content: Matilda is a medieval orphan girl who arrives as an apprentice to Peg the Bonesetter on Blood and Bone Alley. Matilda has been brought up by Fr. Leufredus in a manor house where her late father had been clerk, and she is horrified that she is now expected to perform such tasks as cleaning, shopping, and tending the fire. Matilda's pride at being able to read and write, and her initial disdain of Peg, Peg's husband Tom, Margery the physician, and the other humble denizens of the area is palpable. Matilda's Latin oaths ("Saliva mucusque!" or "spit and slime") and her mental conversations with the saints provide humor, and her growth in self-knowledge as well as her friendships with both young and old in her new community keep readers sympathetic. [1 copy available]
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THE MIDWIFE'S APPRENTICE (Historical Fiction)
by Karen Cushman. 1996 Newbery Medal. Wrap-around cover art by Trina Schart Hyman. Condition: NEW 1996 Clarion Books small hardcover & DJ (in mylar jacket). 5th printing. Perfect. Content: Karen Cushman likes to write with her tongue firmly planted in her cheek, and her feisty female characters firmly planted in history. In The Midwife's Apprentice, which earned the 1996 Newbery Medal, this makes a winning combination for children and adult readers alike. The story takes place in medieval England, and our protagonist is Alyce, who rises from the dung heap (literally) of homelessness and namelessness to find a station in life--apprentice to the crotchety, snaggletoothed midwife Jane Sharp. On Alyce's first solo outing as a midwife, she fails to deliver. Instead of facing her ignorance, Alyce chooses to run from failure--never a good choice. Disappointingly, Cushman does not offer any hardships or internal wrestling to warrant Alyce's final epiphanies, and one of the book's climactic insights is when Alyce discovers that lo and behold she is actually pretty! Still, Cushman redeems her writing, as always, with historical accuracy, saucy dialogue, fast-paced action, and plucky, original characters that older readers will eagerly devour. (Ages 12 and older) [1 copy available]
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PAGAN IN EXILE (The "Pagan" series)
by Catherine Jinks. Condition: NEW 2004 Candlewick hardcover (pictorial boards) & DJ (mylar jacket not appropriate here), first edition, first printing. Content: In this follow-up to Pagan's Crusade, it is 1188, Jerusalem has fallen, and Pagan Kidrouck, the Arab-Christian squire, and his lord, Knight Templar Sir Roland, have returned to France, where Roland plans to ask his father and brothers to take up arms against the infidels--a very bad idea, as it turns out. Pagan relates the story in a wry, often caustic voice that adds a bit of sanity to the events that swirl around the returnees--events that are pitted by danger, cruelty, and quite literally blood and guts. Jinks dramatically evokes a historical time that was particularly dark and dirty. Roland is a knight of honor, but his relatives are louts who like nothing better than fighting, using creatively coarse language, and killing animals--and people--for sport. A subplot about Christian heresy and a homosexual proposition for Pagan extend the story even further. Along with the drama and darkness, readers will find intensity and, yes, humor. Historically accurate and fun. Grades 9 - 12. [1 copy available]
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PAGAN'S CRUSADE (The "Pagan" series # 1)
by Catherine Jinks. Condition: NEW 2004 Candlewick soft cover, third printing. Content: Desperate and looking for work, sixteen-year-old Pagan Kidrouk finds a new life as an assistant to Lord Roland de Bram of the Templar Knights, but when a powerful army begins to march on Jerusalem, Pagan must make an important decision while his Lord must decide who he can trust. "Jinks's alternately hilarious, often poignant novel turns medieval history into fodder for both high comedy and allegory." Grades 9 - 12. [1 copy available]
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ROSE BLANCHE
text and color illustrations by Roberto Innocenti and Christophe Gallaz. The color illustrations are stunning and detailed. Condition: UNREAD, BUT NOT PERFECT, 1985 Creative Editions - Harcourt Brace hard cover & DJ (in mylar jacket), first thus, no printing given. Very light edge wear to DJ with light tanning to DJ edges. Interior perfect. Content: During World War II, a young German schoolgirl, Rose Blanche, follows the soldiers when they arrest a boy and discovers a concentration camp in the woods. Thereafter , she takes food to the prisoners until the town is liberated. Ironically, when she travels to the camp on that day she is shot by the soldiers. The oppression of Fascism is shown through the powerful and realistic paintings. In Innocenti's large, meticulously detailed paintings, Rose Blanche is the only brightly colored individual, and her small figure is set against the drab colors of overwhelming buildings and masses of soldiers and townspeople. No skyline is shown until a radiant spring bursts forth at the site of her death after the liberation. Although the story is simply told, it will require interpretation as details such as the concentration camp are not named nor explained, and the death of Rose Blanche is implied but not stated. This is a difficult book to classify, as the text is easy enough for a young child to read alone, and it has the appearance of a picture bookbut the content of the text and illustrations is full of emotional impact and subtlety. This is a powerful story and I don't think any child under the age of 12 should read it - but then. . . .I'm cautious. [1 copy available]
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SHERWOOD: Original Stories From the World of Robin Hood
edited by Jane Yolen. Beautiful cover art and interior color art by Dennis Nolan. Condition: Gently pre-read, IF at all, 2000 Philomel hardcover & DJ (in mylar jacket), second printing. No problems. Content: Nine short stories about Robin Hood and his legacy are chronologically presented, from Yolen's tale of his mystical birth to Adam Stemple's story of Robin's adventurous spirit redistributing wealth through the Internet. While the compilation may lack the poignancy and depth of human perception found in some full-length works, and hero worship and villain vilification create one-sided characters, all of the writers' skills are unquestionably high. Clever application of folkloric elements to original stories combined with consistency and smooth writing will enliven the imaginations of all Robin Hood enthusiasts. They will also enjoy the variety of viewpoints. Nolan has provided skillful soft-hued illustrations, one for each story. The glossy plates accurately depict one aspect of each story, but for the most part lack the text's irony, playfulness, or danger. Offer this to readers after Robin McKinley's Outlaws of Sherwood, Monica Furlong's Robin's Country, Theresa Tomlinson's Forestwife and Child of the May, and Michael Cadnum's In a Dark Wood). Beautiful book. [1 copy available]
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THUNDERWOMAN: A Mythic Novel of the Pueblos
by Nancy Wood. B&W illustrations by Richard Erdoes. Condition: NEW 1999 Dutton hardcover & DJ (in mylar jacket), first edition, first printing. Content: At the dawn of time, Kobili and his wife, Thunderwoman, created the universe together, but then quarreled and were separated. Now with Coronado's army approaching, the ageless shaman awaits his beloved's rebirth. Will she join him in their final task? Or will Macaw's predictions of legions of armored men, riding like the wind on the backs of horses--men like don Juan de O-ate, with a mission to convert and destroy--come true before Thunderwoman has harnessed her own powers? hunderwoman, cocreator of the universe according to the Pueblos, returns to earth in human form at the time of the conquistadors. Reborn as Sayah, daughter of a chieftain, she is raised by her former husband, now Kobili the wise man. The invasion by conquistadors and the Catholic religion threaten to shatter her world, and she must work within human limitations to save her people. For almost 400 years, Sayah's human and animal compatriots travel the land to bring news, stories, and the strength of legends to their loved ones. Finally, Sayah cannot excise the interlopers from the land, but she can give her people the courage and will to continue. Wood, known for her poetry and short story collections, has undertaken a challenging mix of history and mythology. This work is populated with interesting and amusing, albeit unlikable, white characters. Thunderwoman's return in human form, including her development into a female warrior who retains her feminine compassion, is a fascinating if offbeat premise. Some inconsistencies in Thunderwoman's abilities are distracting to readers, who may be confused by her varying powers through time. Dark illustrations, imitative but not truly Native designs, are inserted skillfully throughout the text. At times confusing, this is still an engrossing read for mature readers with a special interest in Native cultures and Southwestern history. HIgh school and up. Questions welcome. [1 copy available]
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TO BE A SLAVE (A Newbery Honor Book)
by Julius Lester. B&W Tom Feelings paintings illustrate. Condition: UNREAD 1969 Scholastic Point paperback, first printing. Tiny edgewear with pale tanning to interior page edges. Content: To be a slave. To be owned by another person, as a car, house, or a table is owned. To live as a piece of property that could be sold. This book is about how it felt. The words of black men and women who had themselves been slaves are here, accompanied by Julius Lester's historical commentary and Tom Feelings's powerful and muted paintings, To Be a Slave has been a touchstone in children's literature for over thirty years. "It is rare to find a book that enables children to identify as compellingly with slaves as this one does." Questions welcome. [1 copy available]
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VIKING IT AND LIKING IT (The Time Warp Trio series - "Historical" Fiction)
by Jon Scieszka. Clever B&W illustratins by Adam McCauley. Condition: NEW 2002 Viking (how appropriate) hardcover (pictorial boards) & DJ (in mylar jacket), second printing. Content: The twelfth installment in Jon Scieszka's popular Time Warp Trio series catapults Fred, Joe, and Sam straight from Fred's room in Brooklyn into a Viking adventure. This time, the magic of Uncle Joe's mysterious time-travel book is triggered by Sam chanting the word "Thursday" over and over. Who knew the cosmos would interpret "Thursday" as the Norse god Thor's day and send the trio back to 1000 A.D.? As ever, the scrappy threesome finds big trouble in the form of a boatload of Vikings from Greenland, complete with Leif Ericksson; an annoying official poet (or skald) aptly named Bullshik; and a new diet of roast walrus and whale blubber. The snappy dialogue and classic boy humor in this series of chapter books guarantee chuckles from the most reluctant readers--and the generous type size and McCauley's comic illustrations don't hurt either. As a special bonus, readers will learn which other days of the week were named after Norse gods and get tips on creating a Viking name (or nickname) of their own. Grades 3 - 8. [1 copy available]
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THE WADJET EYE
by Jill Rubalcaba. Bryn Barnard cover art. Condition: NEW 2000 Clarion Books hardcover & DJ (in mylar jacket), first printing. Tiny edge wear top DJ edge. Small binding error. Content: Set in the Roman Empire in 45 B.C., this action-filled story is not for the faint of heart. The book begins with Damon, a young medical student, weeping over the death of his Egyptian mother. Damon wants to honor his mother's wishes, so when the embalmers refuse to prepare her body for burial, he mummifies her himself. Then, together with his friend Artemas, Damon sets off to find his father, a soldier in Caesar's army. Along the way, their ship sinks, and the duo is almost eaten by sharks. They are rescued by Cleopatra, who sends them off to spy on Cicero, Caesar's enemy and gives them "The Wadjet Eye" amulet for protection. In a dramatic denouement, Damon meets his father (and Caesar) at a battlefield hospital, where he tries to sort out his feelings for the man he has not seen in six years. The book's fast pace (and, frankly, some of its gore) will appeal to readers who relish exciting stories. Rubalcaba also does a good job with the characterizations, especially her depiction of the relationship between the friends. Try this with boys who don't think they like historical fiction. Questions welcome. [1 copy available]
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