Book Description

Everyone in Sam Keeperman's fifth-grade class thinks the new boy, Buddy White, is strange.

Buddy won't talk, or smile, or even pick up a pencil, and he walks all hunched over, like someone caught in the rain. Some of the kids make fun of Buddy, but not Sam. That's because Sam knows what's bothering him: Three months ago, Buddy's mom was killed in a car accident. She used to clean Sam's house, and ever since Sam found out what happened to her, he can't get her out of his mind. Sam sticks up for Buddy, but the other kids start picking on Sam, too. Even Sam's best friend turns against him.

The more time Sam spends with Buddy -- and the more Buddy comes out of his shell -- the more Sam understands what it means to lose someone you love. And what it means to be a friend. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Understanding Buddy
I think that ~Uderstanding Buddy~ is great book because it can really happen to someone!! Buddy is all alone and Sam is caring enough to talk to him when he comes to Sam's school. Sam asks him about his likes and dislikes. Sam feels like he needs to talk to Buddy about Buddy's mom because if you keep your feelings inside to long you can like explode!! It is great that Sam and Buddy start to talk to each other at the it is aawesome book about a kid solving problems.

You have to READ it!!

Touching Story
I liked this book.It's a very touching story.

It will help young people learn to put themselves in another person's shoes and be compassionate.

A moving story of sadness and struggle � and friendship
New boy Buddy White is strange: he won't talk, smile, or interact with them; yet only Sam knows that the new boy's mother was killed in a car accident three months earlier. When Sam tries to defend Buddy without revealing his secret, he finds himself in trouble with friends who fail to understand either boy. A moving story of sadness and struggle ý and friendship.

...............
It was.............a little to youg for me, and I'm twelve. I found it very boring, and at times I was so frustrated with it that I wanted to rip it up. Otherwise it's fine.

A wonderful book
My kids absolutely loved this book.They insisted that they bring it to class so that the teacher could read it.It is touching, warm and very well written.I recommend this to parents of all children ages 8-13. ... Read more

Book Description
After he opens his big mouth in a big fight with his best friend, Jake concludes that talking = trouble.He decides that communicating through writing is safer.Through notes scribbled on napkins and in notebooks, on upside-down calculators, and on walls with pudding-covered fingers, Jake explores new ways to express himself.But there are also the notes he never sends.To his flirty friend.Who is just a friend.But could be more than a friend.But isn'tor is she? Hillary Frank's inventive style envelops her readers in a new dimension of storytelling.Jake + Xandra = a story about what it means to be "just friends." All without saying a word. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

Talking + me = trouble
"Talking + me = trouble." Though it's simple and to the point, the statement of main character, Jake Jacobson, describes most of the events in I Can't Tell You, by Hillary Frank.The novel, however short, is full of realistic occurrences, like the loss of close friends, relationships gone wrong, and learning how to cope with your mistakes.The story's ability to relate to high school and college students makes it a spectacular page turner for teens of all ages that are just looking to escape the fantasy world and unravel a realistic, relatively simple, yet enjoyable read.
The plot, though basic and easy to follow is very likable and readable.Jake Jacobson, a college student, and his best friend, Sean have a falling out over a few things Jake said about Sean's previous relationship.To protect himself from losing anymore friends or making any other mistakes through speaking, Jake decides to write notes instead.Through his note writing he gets closer to his friend, Xandra, and soon he begins to think of her as more than a friend to wrestle and joke with, but as a girl he might actually love.
Interesting and unique writing techniques are used by Hillary Frank in I Can't Tell You.Written entirely through notes to his friends, and to his unborn sister, it's easy to get an insight on how Jake might be feeling at any given time and therefore it's easy to become attached and to keep reading to find out if Jake will ever open his mouth again.
I Can't Tell You is a quick and interesting read that I suggest all young adults pick up from their local bookstore or library, curl up in a comfortable chair and read to the end. Through romance, college life, and "the funny" I've come to find that this novel is one I've wanted to read on more than one occasion, and I highly recommend it.

Quick read, is that a bad thing?
I am writing this the morning after reading I Can't Tell You, the entire thing, front to back, etc. etc.Once I got used to the clever all-journal style of writing it was easy to just breeze by and get 190-something pages done in three hours.
I liked it, as a boy who considers himself *very* masculine I find it hard to admit but, "I liked the love story" I was sweet, and largely original.
But it's more than that, as a Senior in High School who keeps a journal (like the narrator), has a seething disdain for my peers (the narrator gets there around page 30) I really saw an authentic portrayal of my situation.Crazy that a woman author could do that huh?
Why did I give it four stars? Because I never trust five star reviews, and you shouldn't either.
Oh and the English Proffessor in the book 'speaks' exactly like mine, so while being cool, thats creepy to have Mr. S talking to me through a book I'm reading in bed.
END RAMBLING

More Then Just Friends?


The majority of books I have read in my life, have all been based upon the front cover. I can't tell you, that this book is different then the other ones (did you like that play on words), I was attracted to the slick cover, and but of course its bright neon green color. What would stop me from putting this book in my hands, absolutely nothing. Although it took me about half the book to understand the format of it, before I started to appreciate it. I can't tell you written by Hillary Frank takes to new levels. A story between best friends is told through letters, napkin writings, white board notes, anything that the author could think of. I recommend reading this book to experience something new, something creative, and fresh.


In all, I enjoyed this book, I continued reading until I could find out what would happen between best friends Xandra and Jake. I was engaged with the same problem, a problem of having to be 'just friends' but I am sure everyone has had the same problem. Whether they be the ones making sure to stay as just friends or wanting to be more the just friends.


The problem with this book, is that it just ends. I understand why authors do this, but it is just so frustrating. I wanted more, I wanted to know what was going to happen between Jake and Xandra, will they be more then just friends, if so, it gives hope for me. I know a lot of teens deal with this problem of having to be just friends. I can't tell you, is almost like advice, maybe even a scenario of what could happen between two friends. If you have ever had this problem you would enjoy this book. If you want to learn a simple 'love story' then you would enjoy this book. Most of all, read this book to experience a new way of reading.

Bizarre and plotless, if creative
This is a novel unlike any I have ever seen, but having said that (and yes, it's creative and I am sure the author is smart and witty and interesting), it is also almost inscrutable.Only a teenager who cares about very minor soap-opera, self-absorbed sorts of little things will be able to tolerate this book. It's all little notes written on greasy paper bags and stuff like that. I think teens will enjoy the fact that it's about COLLEGE kids, but what an annoying group of people-who-think-they're-so cool.It's hard to take.I can't tell you how hard to read it is...

THE BEST BOOK EVER
I CAN'T TELL YOU! I think this book was the best book ever.This book writen by Hillary Franks is about teenagers.This is mostly about Jake, Xandra and Jake's best friend Sean.Jake is a big talker so then he deisides to write letersto his friens and to Xandra.Jake is trying to win Xandras love by sending leteres and useing up-side down calculaters.Jake uses anytype of paper or anything he finds just to write to his friens,he uses note books,composite notebook,board on Jakes door and on Xandras,paper note with orange cover , and many other things.This is probably the best book you will ever read I totaly recomend it if you are a person who like to right notes.Tise all takes place in there college in a very cold seasone (winter).Jake gets in a fight with Sean and that is because Jake and his big mouth kills it then latter Jake tells Sean all this stuff then the y latter are friends agin. ... Read more

Book Description
Dr. Elisa Shipon-Blum's Guide, "The Ideal Classroom Setting for the Selectively Mute Child" is a wonderfully informative guidebook that will provide parents, teachers, and treating professionals with the advice necessary to help prepare the 'ideal class setting for the Selectively Mute child.'

This practical guide is informative and entertaining and goes into detail as to tactics that can be done in the school to benefit and accommodate the needs of the Selectively Mute child. Recommendations on testing, IEP development and multiple methods to help lower anxiety, build self esteem and increase communication comfort within the school are emphasized throughout this book.

This guide book is easy to read, graphically attractive and is a necessary reference for all those involved with a Selectively Mute child within the school environment. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Review from a special education teacher
I am a special education teacher and I have searched high and low for a book that would be beneficial for me, my student, and the parents.After reading this book, I realized that this book is a necessity for anyone who comes in contact with a selective mute child/person/student/relative... ECT... I have gained many techniques and information from this book.Prior to this book, could not find any decent books relating to the selective mute except this one.Not only is this book "decent" it should be mandatory!If you do not purchased this book you will be missing out valuable information that the doctors don't even know!

Something practical and useful at last!
After struggling for two years, trying to teach my son's school how to help him, I found this book and gave them a copy.It is like the clouds have cleared!The school finally feel that they have direction from a professional, and we are already seeing a difference in our son.
Definitely worth buying! ... Read more

Book Description
Tut thought about Alex's question, "Can't speak, or won't?" He didn't know the answer. All he knew was that when he tried to speak, he got scared. Not just a little frightened, but more like horrified, the same feeling he got when he stayed in a boat too long.A moving story of friendship, loss, and survivalTut and Alex make an odd pair. Tut does more than keep his grief over his mother's death to himself-he keeps everything, even his voice, to himself. Alex, on the other hand, is talkative, outgoing, and in-your-face, which is exactly where Tut doesn't want her. Tut hasn't much choice in the matter because Alex isn't going anywhere. But just when Alex has wiggled her way into Tut's life, suddenly she seems to have her own need for escape. Now Alex is in trouble and the only way for Tut to help her is to get back into a boat. Is he willing to risk everything for his only friend? That's what he's desperately trying to figure out. And what if it's just too late?J. D. McNeill weaves a compelling story of loss and survival, peopled with one-of-a-kind characters, in this auspicious debut. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Great Book
I am 12 years old and I just finished this book.It is a great story of love, loss, sadness, and adventure.You will not be able to put this but down.You will be filled with sadness for Tut (thats the main charaters name).Trust me on this review.It is a great story.

loved the setting
this one was tough.the author was really good at making me feel like i was IN new england.i felt the cold and the wind and the water and the salt in the air and smelled the fish.but i just did not feel tut.i even felt alex, his loud, annoying and neglected (almost to the point of abuse) neighbor.

i loved tut's smart allecky internal dialog, but he just didn't seem real enough to me.also,the ending was a little pat.every single thing was tied up and every single part ended happy.not that i don't love happy endings, mind you, this one just didn't feel real to me.

Deeply felt and engrossing
My 11 year old son and I were completey drawn in to this novel. JD Mcneil has beautifully rendered the pain and sense of loss experienced by her main character, a teenaged boy named Tut. A traumatic experience has left him speechless and his father, a struggling fisherman, an alconolic. Life can be bleak in this coastal Maine town, yet ample warmth is provided by the fellow townfolk, who are supportive whilemaintaining their distance. One person who does not maintain her distance is Alex, a new girl Tut's age with family problems of her own. She reaches out to Tut, and she serves as an accent of bright color in this story, otherwise painted with subdued tones.
This book hooked us in from beginning to end. ... Read more

Book Description
In book 4 of the Bailey Fish Adventure series, Bailey Fish andher grandmother welcome the first guests at Keswick Inn. Elmo and FeatherPhigg bring with them a mysterious, locked green suitcase that contains aJamestown, Va., mystery. The children want to know what's inn it.Meanwhile, Sparrow, a purposefullymute foster child arrives and Baileyand her friends organize a party to make the child laugh or talk. Themystery deepens when another visitor appears. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Fun to read
Reviewed by Regan Zaborowski (age 8) for Reader Views (12/07)


This book is about a man and his wife, called Elmo and Feather Phigg, who have car trouble and want to stay at the Keswick Inn.But first they meet Bailey Fish and her grandmother, and they help the Phiggs get to the Keswick Inn.They have a green suitcase that is very heavy and no one knows what is in it.Bailey and her friends try to find out what is in the suitcase.They are very curious about it.There is also a girl who comes to the Keswick Inn that Mr. and Mrs. Keswick are going to take care of.She can't speak, and Bailey and her grandmother have a party for her so that she would want to laugh or talk to someone. I was so nervous when I had to wait to see if she would; I really wanted her to.While they are doing this, Mr. and Mrs. Phigg go to Jamestown because they are writing a history book about that place.There is a big surprise at the end when everyone learns about what is in the suitcase.

I liked reading "The Mysterious Jamestown Suitcase" with my mom.The main character in the book, Bailey Fish, seemed to be like me - curious and wanting to know about mysteries.I wanted to read more after I was done with each chapter, because the mystery kept getting stranger.We didn't learn what was in the suitcase until the very end, and it was very funny.I also learned about history of Jamestown, which is in Virginia.It made me want to learn more about the first people that came to live there.I am asking my mom for more Bailey Fish books, because they are fun to read.

A high-spirited, wholesome adventure story.
Fourth in the Bailey Fish Adventure series, The Mysterious Jamestown Suitcase is a chapter book for young readers set in modern-day central Virginia. Written to tie in with the 400th anniversary of the Jamestown settlement, The Mysterious Jamestown Suitcase blends facts about American history into the enjoyable narrative of young Bailey Fish, her grandmother, and her friends as they are puzzled by the contents of a locked green suitcase. Bailey and her grandmother also reach out plan a party to help a young, silent foster child start talking again; and the mystery takes an unexpected turn when another guest arrives! A high-spirited, wholesome adventure story. ... Read more

Book Description

Though fifteen-year Finn's badly burned hand and broken leg are healing, the traumatic effects of the small-plane crash that killed his parents and sister have left him unable to speak. Psychiatrists have told Finn that to regain the power of speech he must relive each step of the tragedy. Now living with his grandmother on her Vermont farm where he has vacationed all his life and which he loves, he cannot make himself face the horrors of the fatal accident.

Renewing his friendship with Julia, nearly fourteen, helps. A nearby neighbor, she comes each day to train Gran's new filly. Together, they discover animal -- half wolf, half dog -- living wild in a dense pine forest on the farm, and it slowly begins to trust Finn after he rescues it from a trap. The routine of their lives is jolted when Finn and Julia discover that drug dealers are using an abandoned dry well in the forest as a, drop for their supplies. Then one day, when Julia is away for a week, Finn finds a packet of cocaine carelessly dropped by a local pusher. Should he try it to gain escape from the torment of his memories? And can he and Julia save the wolf dog that is wrongly suspected of killing sheep?

As the hot, dry summer nears its end, tension builds almost unbearably, sweeping the reader along to the riveting climax of the unforgettable novel. ... Read more

Book Description

Florida: 1933

Customer Reviews (1)

deep look at the Depression Era south
In 1933 Clemson and Melba Dockery accompanied by their nine years old son Tugwell drives from Moultrie, Georgia to Yazoo City, Florida, to visit his father on his birthday.Clemson tries to outrace a speeding train, but fails leaving nine years old Tugwell Dockery as the only survivor.His older sibling, eighteen years old Broda "Bro" Joe is in jail for running alcohol.His paternal grandfather seems indifferent so his Great Aunt Lulu picks up the traumatized child, who no longer can speak.

However, circumstance lead to Tug going to his grandfather's house, which is near the place where his parents died.Bro worries about his younger devastated brother and does not believe his grandfather will care for Tug.Bro escapes from prison with the objective to insure that Tug gets the help he needs to overcome the tragedy.

BRO is a deep look at the Depression Era south that will leave the audience needing a bookcase worth of tissues.The cast tugs at the readers' hearts as each one struggle with what life has dealt them; Tug especially will receive much empathy.Though character driven, historical fiction readers will want to join the pack of new fans that this long time top notch author (see A DAY NO PIGS WOULD DIE) will garner.

Harriet Klausner ... Read more

Amazon.com
What happened on Wednesday, November 25, 2:43 P.M., Eastern StandardTime, to cause Branwell Zamborska to become mute? All anyone knows is that hecalled 911 because his baby sister, Nikki, had stopped breathing, and when hewas unable to speak to the operator, Vivian, the English au pair, came on theline to say that Branwell had dropped the baby and shaken her. His best friend,Connor, begins visiting him at the juvenile behavioral center, where he has beensent while Nikki remains in a coma at the hospital. Working out a code they bothcan use, Connor begins the long process of trying to communicate with his friendto find out what really happened. With the help of his own half-sister and somecanny detective work, Connor uncovers a complex, multilayered tale of humandesires, adolescent confusion, and a touch of menace.

E.L. Konigsburg, brilliant Newbery Medal-winning author of From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. BasilE. Frankweiler and TheView from Saturday, has honed her skills to a fine point. Her keenunderstanding of young people is matched by her ability to create suspenseful,page-turning masterpieces. This beautifully written story is darker than some ofher others, with a remarkably true glimpse into a young man's inner world. (Ages10 to 14) --Emilie CoulterBook Description
On Wednesday, November 25, at 2:43 P. M., Eastern Standard Time, Branwell Zamborska is struck dumb. Nikki, his baby half sister, has slipped into a coma. Branwell dials 911, but when the emergency operator answers, he cannot speak. He cannot explain what is wrong. He cannot utter a sound.

Vivian Shawcurt, the au pair from England, takes over. She tells the emergency medical team that Branwell dropped Nikki and shook her.

Nikki is taken to the Clarion County Hospital, and Branwell is sent to the Clarion County Juvenile Behavioral Center.

Branwell's dad asks Connor, Branwell's best friend, to visit the Behavioral Center to see if he can break the silence and find out what happened. Connor knows that Branwell loves Nikki. Why would he hurt her?

Connor finds a way to communicate with Branwell and, with the help of Margaret, his older half sister, he begins to investigate the events leading up to the silence. Slowly he discovers what Branwell's problems really are and what it takes to help Branwell reveal what happened that Wednesday afternoon.

More than a detective story -- though that element is here -- this many-layered tale explores in E. L. Konigsburg's unique manner basic human needs and emotions with suspense, excitement, and deep understanding.

... Read more

Customer Reviews (157)

Speaking in Silence
"So that's how didn't speak became couldn't speak." On page 250 of his book E.L. Konigsburg finally gives readers some facts about Branwell Zamborska's fight for words. Silent to the Bone is not only an intriguing mystery, but a great story of friendship. After a tragic accident with his baby sister Nikki; Branwell can't say a word. Connor Kane, his best friend stuck with him through everything and is the one to finally break the communication barrier. Living in a university community in Epiphany, New York there were many people who were willing to help Bran recover. With the help of many people close to Branwell, he slowly becomes a stronger version of who he once use to be.

I really enjoy realistic fiction books and that's part of the reason I liked this book. Another reason I liked this book was because it wasabout friendship. On page 22 Connor explained when Bran first spoke after his silence, it didn't show why they were friends it described how strong their bond really was. This book is good for anyone who likes a little work putting pieces together while reading. This book really shows how to be a good friend.

Equal Parts Mystery and Psychology
E.L. Konigsburg's SILENT TO THE BONE shows an author who knows a thing or two about how kids' minds work, as she demonstrates how embarrassment and shame can lead to mystery (and an intrigued reader).The central friendship is between first-person protagonist Connor Kane and his now-mute friend awaiting a hearing in the juvenile detention center, Branwell Zamborska.The crime Bran may be guilty of?Shaking a baby -- his half-sister -- into a coma.The key evidence?The 911 tape, used to good effect as a fast-out-of-the-gate start to the book, and the au pair nanny (the spellbinding 20-year-old Brit, Vivian Shawcurt) who was on the scene.

Connor, along with his older half-sister (they're going around in this book) Margaret, cannot believe that Bran dropped this baby and pursue their investigation on this hunch.Using cards and finger pointing at letters (for a spell), Connor coaxes information out of Bran who cannot and will not talk for most of the book.It is a long, slow process, but the leads that develop because of it keep the plot revved nicely; the reader is pulled inexorably toward the climax as Connor and Margaret test their amateur detective skills after each of Connor's sessions with Bran.

Beautifully-written, this book deserves five stars, really, or maybe 4 1/2.The only thing holding me back is the big problem I had with a character by the name of Morris Ditmer.The description of this guy and his behavior (coupled with his background) do not come across as terribly realistic, and yet they are key to the plot's eventual resolution.Looking beyond that, however, the book delivers with spot-on characterizations of Connor, Margaret, Branwell, and their parents.Konigsburg wisely leavens the plot with humor as well.Shaking and dropping babies, after all, is stark stuff, and the reader appreciates the lighter moments provided.

Young readers who like plot and all the loose strings tied together nicely at the end of a book should appreciate SILENT TO THE BONE.As for how it ends, in the spirit of things, I can only not say (but rather type): Mum's the word.

not suitable for children under 16
This book is completely inappropriate.The plot centers around the sexual ensnarement of an adolescent boy by an older female.While the sexual activities of the female were not described in great detail, they were present. There are also allegations of insestual child abuse toward an infant.

It reads like a trashy novel or tabloid news. The sexual innuendos were very inappropriate for this age group. We continue to complain as a society about inappropriate youth behavior and yet we continue to expose them to inappropriate content. What can we expect to get? Middle school students are embarrassed and appalled that they are reading this book as assigned reading. It should notbe the book they assign for a middle school reader.

Hard to believe this is written for 10-13 year olds.

Silent to the Bone
Silent to the bone is a very good book. The main characters of the book are Connor, Branwell, Nikki, Margret, and Vivian. Branwell was an only child for most of his life until his father met the "love of his life". They got married and soon after Branwell's father's wife told him and Branwell she was expecting. If your wondering what happened to Branwell's mother, she died in a car crash early on in his life. The Ancestors, Branwell's grandparents take him over the period his little sister, Nikki, is born. Branwell isnt too happy. His stepmother hires a nanny, Vivian. Branwell is quite "amused" with his new baby sister. One day "Branwell" drops Nikki. Nikki is put into a concussion. Since noone was around to see what actually happens, it is all pointed to Branwell. Branwell goes "silent" and wont talk to anyone. He has a special communication with his best friend, Connor, but thats it. He gives Connor clues each visit and Connor must figure the mystery out to save his best friend from being prosecuted as a manslaughter, or even worse, a murderer. The fate of Branwell lies in the hands of Connor as Nikki is slowly recovering, but slowly fading. I wont tell you the ending, but this book is really good for all ages. There is a few bad words, few meaning 1 or 2 throughout the whole book. If you love mystery's and thriller's this book would be good for you. I couldnt put the book down it was so good. It kept me anticipated and on the edge of my seat. I definetly recomend this book to anyone of any age.

Well-written, exemplary storytelling
I finshed this book angry because I enjoyed Connor's and Branwell's stories and I wanted to read more. Konigsburg is such a powerful, convicing writer.While reading, you get the feeling that she really IS Connor, an adolescent boy.The themes of friendship, finding one's voice, and coming-of-age are well-blended into a psychological, suspenseful, realistic tale about deceit, physical abuse, and sexuality.Although the publisher recommends this for ages 10-14, I would caution against anyone under 13 reading it due to mild sexual content.Highly recommended. You will not be disappointed! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Lasting Friendship and Holiday Spirit
In an age where children are coaxed by Sony Playstations, and the wintery outdoors; it's hard to find something simple that they can cuddle up with in the corner and quietly explore.

The story of Annabelle's Wish seems tofacinate both younger children and more experienced levelreader's.

Because its from Golden Books interactive series the childcould "sound off" characters at any point in the reading. Thebook offers large bold illustrations, a clever plot twist, and originalnarration.

As all Christmas classics remind us, this book does make youthink about the reason of the Season, and try to make your Heart feelwarmer. It builds on the folklore of Santa giving the farm animals"voices" once a year on Christmas. And thefriendship thatbuilds between a mute boy and the calf, Annabelle,born on this Holiday.

Although Tommy and Annabelle are itsmain characters, the storey isabout more than the "special" gift they exchanged. It was abouthow others around them put aside their personal differences to cometogether in Friendship.

Your child can easily relate to the animals andthe frienships found in the storey. And if they understand what is beingshown by "unselfish giving" recreate for your Family a specialand powerful magic. ... Read more

Book Description

Customer Reviews (1)

Excellent Message
This book uses wonderful artwork and good wording to tell a story that ends with a message that shows a need for tolerance. The book is a great book to read to children to start a conversation about the value of tolerance. ... Read more

Book Description

Customer Reviews (1)

Courtesy of Teens Read Too
A destitute teen mother abandons her infant in an apartment building, leaving a note with him, printed in childish block letters. "His name is Newboy.He is one week old.Please take care of him.I can't."

By the time Newboy is twelve years old he has stopped talking, and after a series of uncaring foster homes, he is sent to the worst one yet. Medical examinations and testing do not reveal a cause for his silence, but for Newboy, life is just easier that way. The Knoxes keep their flock of foster children on a very rigid schedule and all Newboy can think about is escaping to a freedom that he imagines will be much better.

When he does escape, he takes refuge in a garbage bin where he finds a foul-smelling and damaged ventriloquist's dummy.He names the doll "Stinko."Newboy is able to talk through the dummy and express himself for the first time in several years.Newboy meets other runaways like himself living on the dangerous streets and they form alliances that help them survive.Mr. and Mrs. Knox are relentlessly searching for him...after all, the State pays them for his care.

This is a touching story of hardship, survival, and the friendships of children struggling against nearly insurmountable odds. Newboy's innate sense of right and wrong and his moral values remain intact in spite of his troubles and the young hoodlums that confront him.

de Guzman keeps the tempo fast-paced and exciting, with a cast of wonderful, compelling characters, as Newboy dodges his foster parents and young thugs that mean him harm and races toward a satisfying climax.I highly recommend this book...the short length and rapid pace will make it especially attractive to reluctant readers.

Reviewed by:Grandma Bev ... Read more

Book Description
In her brilliant but argumentative family, Hero is different, because she doesn't speak. Instead, she prefers the silence and solitude she finds climbing the trees high above her neighbors stately old house. But everything changes when Hero starts to do odd jobs for the neighbor -- and discovers a shocking secret high up in the tower of the house."Mahy is a writer who just keeps getting better with every book."-- Kirkus Reviews, pointer review"Mahys exceptional imagination and storytelling prowess will make it difficult for readers to leave this book behind themhers is a tale with staying power."-- Publishers Weekly, starred reviewNew Zealand author Margaret Mahy won the Carnegie Medal for The Changeover and The Haunting. Her most recent novel for Viking is Tingleberries, Tuckertubs, and Telephones. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Keep This Book Under QT!
I didn't like this book.It was just too weird.

Hero, 12 is selectively mute (selectively mute as distinguished from electively mute in that the person speaks in specific instances to certain persons).She was named for a character in Shakespeare's "As You Like It."Her siblings have the odd names of Athol, 23 Ginevra, 21 and younger sister Sapphira comprise the family along with their conventionally named author parents Mike and Annie.Annie is a lover of words and Ginevra follows in her footsteps by writing a book about how intelligence is stimulated by vocabulary enrichment.Sapphira gets on everybody's nerves with her use of arcane words such as "collieshangle," "cogger" and others.

Ginevra returns home with boyfriend and baby on the way; Hero is hired to work in her neighbor's garden and do light housekeeping.Plenty of weird things take place in this book and the girl in the attic was just too implausible to be taken seriously, even on a literary level.The ending is just as bizarre as the rest of the book.Forget this book.There are better books about elective (choosing not to speak) mutism and selective (speaking only under specific conditions) mutism.

Inner and Outer Lives
Another fine book from Margaret Mahy dealing with the complex emotional lives of teens. Hero, the silent one, struggles to deal with her loving, but clueless family of geniuses. Mom is well-known author on childhood genius (based on her own children's lives), Dad is a stay at home mom, her older sister uses her gift for math and physics to wreck cars and her brother is a secret script writer for a steamy soap opera. Amid this chaos Hero lives two seperate lives, an inner life of fantasy adventures and outer life mostly defined by her voluntary decision not to speak, which puzzles and frustrates her family.
A chance encounter with a mysterious neighbor lady at once expands Hero's scope for innocent fairy tales while at the same time forcing Hero to confront the darker side of the fantastical. As her curiosity takes her into the neighbor's own bizarre life she learns the awful consequences of living a fairy tale and the differences between voluntary and involuntary silence.
Plenty of plot and not without touches of humor, Hero's quest to unite her innner and outer selves provides a thoughtful look at growing up and finding one's own voice in the world.

a multi-stranded story such as I expect from Margaret Mahy
A difficult but rewarding story, and it reminds me of some of Jan Mark's latest books and of FIRE AND HEMLOCK by Diana Wynne Jones. If anyone else has noticed this, I'd love to hear from them. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (21)

One of my favorite books
I first read this book many years ago when I was a young girl and I adored it. The story is very captivating and most of the time I could barely put the book down. A couple of years ago I lost the book and have always had it in the back of my mind that I wanted to read it again. I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes mystery stories.

The Silent Storm
I really liked this book, because it had alot of adventure!It alsowas very hard to guess what was going to happen next. I thought it was really great that Alyssa got over her fears that quickly.

I thought the best part of the book was when Alyssa finally had to talk inorder to save her grandfather's life. And then she kept have flashbacks of when she was on her father's boat. I also liked the part whereAlyssa and Dylan finally bond together, ever since before their parents death.

The character were amazing. Alyssa was one that had been through so much, and was mute, but she over came it. I also liked Ty because he became friend with Alyssa even though she was mute. I thought that the climax was really interesting because I would have never thought that Alyssa would of gotten over her muteness,especially to save her grandfather.

Applause
This is an excellent novel. I don't usually real teenage type novels anymore but from a surface judgement I can see how wonderfully Sherry Garland writes. The text reads like flowing water, so appropriate for the hurricane and sea themes she explores. It's also a rather unique story about a 13 year old girl who was struck mute after the fateful day her father was lost at sea. I would highly recommend this novel.

The Silent Storm Inside
Silent Storm is about a mute girl who is 13 who lives with her grandfather after her parents died in a hurricane. It tells about the struggles she has with trying to communicate with other people and the challenges she has in life. At the end she has to remember what happened to her mother and father so she can begin to speak again to save her grandfather's life as he has given up hope. It was a very heart warming story just like Sherry Garland's other books. I give it two thumbs way up.

very good book!!!!
This is the fisrt time that I read this book and is't a very good book, I m on the last chapter and so far I love it. Sherry Garland did a great job on this book! I love the way she had Alyssa not talking and her plot! ... Read more

Amazon.com
In her 11th affecting fantasy novel for young adults, NewberyMedal-winning author Susan Cooper (The Dark Is Rising sequence) writes again ofthe clash between good and evil. Bahamians Trey, age 12, and his mute brotherLou, 7, find themselves tugged between two parallel worlds: their own happyisland life, threatened by big-business developers, and a murky, sinisterotherworld called Pangaia, entered accidentally through a magical window betweenworlds. In a series of journeys between the two realms, Lou is saluted byunderground rebels as their mythic savior Lugh, and the siblings are asked tolead the Greenwar against the Government ("the destroyers"). Along the way, Treyand Lou encounter hideous mutant insects, murderous floods in tunnels,helicopter attacks, and capture by the pro-progress, high-tech Government.Although the plot is occasionally convoluted, Susan Cooper fans will be drawndeep into the story, with its zealous Luddite-styled green guerrillas and theequally ardent progress extremists. Lou and Trey are enormously likeable, andthe tropical island setting is beautifully portrayed. Ultimately, nature, myth,and destiny crash together in a breathtaking climax that will leave readers ofall ages contemplating the direction our own world is taking. (Ages 9 to 13)--Emilie CoulterBook Description
Long Pond Cay, in the Bahamas, is a magical white-sand island, and twelve-year-old Trey and silent seven-year-old Lou love to visit its loneliness. But one day the magic becomes nightmare, and suddenly they are in another world, strident, polluted, and overcrowded -- where little Lou is hailed not as a mute Bahamian boy but as the mythic hero Lugh, born to bring terrible destruction and renewal.

Carried betwween worlds in a zigzag adenture of mounting tension and danger, the children risk their lives not only to save the alien world, but to ward off a new, parallel threat to their beloved Long Pond Cay. The forces of myth and nature explode together in an amazing climax.

This is a deeply moving fantasy told by an internationally acclaimed Newbery Award -- wining writer, who knows and loves the Bahamian islands. Its vision of a spoiled world ominously like our own will haunt the reader for long time to come.

... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

As always, excellently done
I am a big fan of Susan Cooper's work, and Green Boy did not disappoint.The style differs slightly from her other books I have read, but well it should, as it is set in the Bahamas.The plot is compelling and the descriptions of the Otherworld left me haunted by the environmental possibilities of our own world.Clearly she has a message here.However, the story works on its own and is a good read.

Green Boy
Trey, who is 12, and his muted brother, Lou, who is 7, are hanging around by a pond in the Bahamas. It seems like such a normal thing but they somehow enter a somewhat scary new world called Pangaia. It is very dirty and is filled with buildings. The brothers come back to this mysterious place various times in this book. They face many unusual things throughout this book, which if you want to know you may read this book.

Now to some people this may seem exciting, but to me, not really. It is a somewhat well written book but it is a little bit too... hard to explain but environment obsessed. I had to keep myself reading this book, which is never fun. If you are going to read a fantasy or Science Fiction book, I would not recommend this being your answer.

Caleb Watson
Susan Coopers vividly imaginative book Green Boy is perfect for anyone who has an ever-wondering imagination.
The setting of this book is in the Bahamas on an island called Long Pond Cay, but it also takes place in an alternate dimension that looks like Long Pond Cay. The main characters are a twelve-year-old boy named Trey and his mute seven-year-old brother Lou. They are both round and dynamic characters in the fact that throughout the book their personalities constantly change.
I think this book is interesting because Trey and Lou jump between worlds to try and save one while their own is being destroyed. They have to deal with their divorced parents; their dad is the head of one of the construction companies trying to build Sapphire Island resorts on Long Pond Cay. While they are in the other world for around a day it is only about an hour in their world.
The main conflict of the book is that Trey and Lou have to find a very rare star shaped shell to unlock a door to save the other world. The problem with this is that they are very hard to find and Lou is the only one who can open the door. If they find it or not that is up to you to find out.
I would not recommend this book to some on who does not like books with strange plot. This book is a good book for someone who has a very unlimited imagination. There in lies the question do you join Trey and Lou on their adventure to save their world as well as the other or leave it to the next person, but by then it could be to late.

Cooper's Environmentalism Disappoints
I am a die-hard fan of Susan Cooper. I have read all of her books multiple times and never get tired of her incredible talent of weaving flawlessly together the elements of myth, fantasy, magic, and the timeless fight between good and evil. I was very excited to read "Green Boy"...and was very disappointed. Terribly disappointed! The story is basically a heavy-handed environmentalist tract, flimsily placed in a fantasy plot. I can't imagine what she was thinking. It is difficult to connect to any of the characters, and Cooper's usually flowing and descriptive prose is jarring and disconnected. The plot is contrived and clichéd, and I finished the book with a relieved sigh because I got through it, not because I had a desire to read it again. Though I will never pick up this book again, it hasn't tarnished my opinion of her other works, which are definitely worth reading over and over again.

Fantasy blends with more than a touch of realistic settings
Trey and his silent younger brother love to visit their special Bahamas cay, but when they discover that their visits are bringing them to a frightening future world, linked to their own, their become involved in fighting off an environmental threat to their own beloved home. Fantasy blends with more than a touch of realistic settings in this fast paced fantasy. ... Read more

Book Description
Clair-de-Lune lives with her grandmother in the tippy-top of a peculiar old building. Every day she practices ballet, just like her mother before her—the famous ballerina who died when Clair-de-Lune was just a baby. Since that day, Clair-de-Lune hasn’t uttered a word.
Then one day the girl who cannot speak meets a remarkable mouse who can. Bonaventure dreams of founding a dancing school just for mice—but he dreams of helping his new friend, too. Soon the brave little mouse introduces Clair-de-Lune to a hidden world inside, and yet somehow beyond, her building—a world that slowly begins to open her heart. Maybe one day her dreams will come true, too. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

A Lovely Tale
Despite its (minor) flaws, Golds' story is a pleasure to read. It is the story of a girl who discovers life's greatest gift - the gift of love - and the ability she has inside herself to embrace that gift as she overcomes fear. It is sweet and delicate in the best of ways - written for girls and women (okayokay, men, too) who love beauty & dancing & appreciate the difficulties of shyness (or should). Golds does use the expression "Ah!" way too much, and is in many ways suspiciously reminiscent of DiCamillo's "The Tale of Despereaux." I agree with the above review about the recent wave of sentimentality in children's literature, but I don't think it's necessarily a bad thing. This book is ultimately absorbing, lovely, and deeply touching.

Twee
There is a very quick test you can do to determine whether or not you will enjoy the children's book, "Clair-de-Lune". I will now read you a passage from the novel. Ahem. "For when a child sleeps, a little magic bird flies out of the child's heart and roosts nearby, sometimes on the bedpost, sometimes on the windowsill, sometimes - who knows where? - breathing in and out swiftly and murmuring to itself. When the child wakes, the bird returns, flying into her heart the very moment before she opens her eyes". This is from page 22 of, "Clair-de-Lune". Did you like it?Yes?No?I was in the "no" camp myself.By and large when I review first time authors or authors who haven't written in a very long time I avoid reviewing them altogether if I don't like their work. It's hard enough getting your book published by a big-time publishing house. Think how awful you'd feel if some two-bit hack of an Amazon.com reviewer set about tearing your baby, the book you've worked and slaved over for who knows how long, into little itty bitty shreds. You'd be devastated. So if you are reading this Ms. Golds, please stop right now. I am entirely certain that you are charming and that if I were to sit down and have a nice cup of tea with you we could have a lovely conversation about the state of modern publishing. Unfortunately, I was not wholly taken with your book. It is very popular and many people who are not myself enjoy it quite a lot, so my criticism will be just the tiniest of drops in the wide ocean of children's literary reviews. I don't like hurting the feelings of authors and you seem like you have loads of talent.

The plot. As the first sentence states, "Once upon a time - one hundred years ago, and half as many years again - there lived a girl called Clair-de-Lune, who could not speak". And we're off! The girl lives with her stern grandmother in the attic of a large and impressive boarding house. On one floor is a dance studio where Clair-de-Lune takes ballet lessons like her mother and her mother's mother. When the child was just a baby her mother was the most talented dancer of them all. Then one night she died after performing an impressive dance and her little daughter was mute thereafter. Now Clair-de-Lune is attempting to speak but finds that she cannot. Just the same, she makes the acquaintance of a little mouse by the name of Bonaventure who has a dream of his own. He is quite the dancer himself, and he dreams of someday building a mouse repertory company of his very own. He has been watching the dance class on the floor below and he is impressed with Clair-de-Lune's abilities. Making it his goal to help her become happy he introduces her to the kind monk Brother Inchmahome who will help her to speak. In learning, however, Clair-de-Lune must face up to her fears and confront those parts of herself she's eluded and avoided until now.

You know what's big right now? Nostalgia. It's sweeping the children's publishing world like a retro-Victorian plague. What won the 2005 National Book Award for young person's literature? The Elizabeth Enrightish, "The Penderwicks", by Jeanette Birdsall. What title from the pen of Kate DiCamillo is working shamelessly at luring innocent adults with its old-timey feel and pictures? "The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane". With that in mind, "Clair-de-Lune" is just the latest example of a very successful trend. Author Cassandra Golds herself seems at times to be channeling Barrie's, "Peter Pan" with mixed results. Remember that point in Peter Pan that talks about Mrs. Darling's kiss? There's a lot of that feeling in "Clair-de-Lune". There's even a moment that seems like it's a direct reference to Oscar Wilde's, "The Happy Prince". I was impressed by the reference and if you like Wilde's story, that may say quite a lot about how much you'll like this one.

By and large Golds's ideas are good. It's just her writing that needs some work. There was one passage, actually, that was very well-written. Throughout the story, Brother Inchmahome is having Clair-de-Lune think up reasons why she does not speak. At one point she comes up with, "If I do not speak, no one will ever really be able to dislike me, because no on will ever really know me. If I do speak, then it will be possible for people to dislike not just the person they think I am, but the person I am". There are some interesting thoughts at work here, but they are buried under just as many problems. For example, there is the fact that Brother Inchmahome has the ability to listen so well that he can hear what essentially comes down to Clair-de-Lune's thoughts. But this book is all about the magical realism, so this kind of objection comes across as petty. Far more disturbing is what this book is saying about mute people. Apparently if you cannot talk, no one can ever really, "know you". Writing stuff down? Not the same thing at all. You're only ever "known" to someone if you can speak the same language as them. A rather disturbing message to be sending to the young `uns, no? You can often see what Golds is trying to say. It's just the saying itself that can get tangled.There is the occasional non-sequitor as well. The fact that micehave the ability to figure out when one of their number has died and where to find the body psychically is a bit peculiar.

And now we come back to the writing. The passage I began with, the one about the bird that flies out of the chests of children every night, is one such example. There are thousands more. We keep returning, for example, to a mouse from the country that is struggling to make it to the big city to dance with Bonaventure. "This mouse had fur like black silk and a soul so beautiful, so vulnerable, and so sweet that he was loved by all who knew him". A mention of this beautiful soul appears no less than four times. So what you need to ask yourself is whether or not you would like to read this book to a child full of this type of language.Your child may love anything and everything to do with ballet and not care a jot for insistent somewhat saccharine repetition. If so, all power to you. Nothing I say here is going to change your mind. If, on the other hand, you would prefer to avoid books that wade knee-deep in sugar, perhaps this is not the book you should go about purchasing.

But enough of this adult critical mumbo jumbo. What will kids think of this book? I did ballet for seven some years when I was a little girl. Would I have liked this book? Heavens, yes! Yes, indeed. I would have adored it. Beautiful speechless young girl who dances more beautifully than anyone else and has talking mouse friends? Gorgeous flying magical birds, gypsy fortune-tellers, and a handsome monk with a secret? What's NOT to like? You would've pried this book from my tiny desperate hands only with the greatest of effort. Dreamy-eyed children will probably hold this story close to their hearts and love it desperately for years to come. There are those kids out there, however, who will find the premise icky. And there will be adults like myself who'll secretly slip books like, "Because of Winn-Dixie" and "The Princess Academy" into the hands of their child patrons with the hope of distracting them from, what will someday be known as, the-dancing-mouse-book. For all its charms, "Clair-de-Lune" has more flaws than fine qualities. Ms. Golds is bound to do great things. Just give her time.

A wonderful blend of fictitious reality with fantasy
Clair-de Lune is a young ballet student living in an old city many years past. Her mother and grandmother were ballet dancers. In fact, Clair-de-Lune's mother, La Lune (which means "the moon") was a famous, much loved ballerina who died at a very young age while dancing on the stage. She left her baby daughter to be raised by a strict grandmother in the attic of an old and mystical apartment building just behind the theatre. Ever since the night of La Lune's death, Clair-de-Lune has never spoken a word. Everyone believes it is because of the tragic loss of her young mother that the child's lips and voice do not utter any sounds.

However, Clair-de-Lune speaks a special language. "When she was dancing, her arms and legs spoke, and her hands and feet spoke, and her body and the carriage of her head spoke, too. And she felt that just a little of the weight of her heart, the weight of things unsaid, would be lifted." And so Clair-de-Lune loves everything about the dance because it offers her the chance to discover her own story, the story of how she came to be a young dancer raised by her grandmother in a rickety apartment building six stories high.

The days of Clair-de-Lune are strictly spent taking ballet class from Monsieur Dupoint (whose studio happens to be on the third floor of the apartment building), studying practical school subjects at home with her grandmother, and running brief errands to the market. It is the regimented life of a ballerina-in-training overseen with great care and consternation by her grandmother, until the little girl who cannot speak encounters a little mouse who can speak very well! Bonaventure is a brave talking, dancing mouse who leads Clair-de-Lune on an adventure where she meets a fanciful array of characters who help her learn about true love and how love is the reason for life, especially her own.

Cassandra Golds masters the difficult literary feat of mixing fictitious reality with fantasy. Some readers may be put off by the blurry lines between the factual and the fantastic, but Golds has truly captured in writing the whimsy that every ballet production relies on: genuine people dancing magical stories and making the fanciful appear truly alive.

--- Reviewed by Joy Held ... Read more

Book Description
Melkorka is a princess, the first daughter of a magnificent kingdom in mediæval Ireland -- but all of this is lost the day she is kidnapped and taken aboard a marauding slave ship. Thrown into a world that she has never known, alongside people that her former country's laws regarded as less than human, Melkorka is forced to learn quickly how to survive. Taking a vow of silence, however, she finds herself an object of fascination to her captors and masters, and soon realizes that any power, no matter how little, can make a difference.

Based on an ancient Icelandic saga, award-winning author Donna Jo Napoli has crafted a heartbreaking story of a young girl who must learn to forget all that she knows and carve out a place for herself in a new world -- all without speaking a word. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Oh God Let it End!!!
The concept is simple. Melkorka is a princess and she is kidnapped and put on a slave ship. In order to survive she cannot speak. Since she does not talk her captor is captivated by Melkorka. This novel is based on an ancient Icelandic saga.

The story started out well enough, and the historical detail was great. However, for teens who dislike history or historical fiction this might be a trial for them to read. Even I, who loves historical fiction, had difficulty getting interested in this story. The novel moves along at an unbearably slow pace until Melkorka is captured. Hurray! I'm thinking the action will pick up. Alas! No! The story drags on for a few more chapters as we get her daily exploits on a slave ship. Yawn. It's dull. I want to get to the meat and potatoes of the story. I want to know how she reacts to life as a slave and how she feels when she is forced to obey someone's orders.

Melkorka is taken to someplace in the Middle East where the other slaves are sold, but not her because she is "special." The slave market is finally introduced around page 170, but by that time I didn't care what happened to this girl. She's dull, lifeless and the story has put me through more pain than my high school math classes. Unable to endure any more suffering I set the book aside. I had 138 pages left, but I simply couldn't continue.

Really boring, unrealistic story...don't waste your money!
I love Donna Jo Napoli. My favorite book by her is actually Zel. I also enjoyed the Rumplestilskin Problem. Which is why I was so dissapointed in Hush. It was boring and I kept forcing myself to continue reading with hopes that it would get better. It didn't. Here is the synopsis of the story in a few paragraphs. I would reccomend you read it rather than the book. It'll save you a lot of time.

Synopsis:

About 90% of the story takes place on a Viking slave ship which is boring. The protagonist and her sister and kidnapped and put on the ship. Because the protagonist decides that she isn't going to speak, the Viking captain decides she must be a bird in a girls body, so he allows her to do whatever she wants.

I found it very unrealistic, especially the times when she defies the captain in front of his crew. The captain is a man who cares a lot about appearences and he believes that slaves are scum, so it's very odd. Especially since he has no respect for women and viciously rapes one woman over and over and breaks bones of women and beats them.

Later, she leaves the boat and works as a slave. Then, a King decides he wants to buy her. For no apparent reason, he gives her beautiful clothes that he had intended for his wife. He has sex with her a lot and seems to fall in love with her. They arrive to his homeland. The protagonist discovers she is pregnant. She decides she may start speaking when her son is born and tell him about her native land.

THE END.

A promise of epic adventure that lets you down in the end
When Zel was first published, I feel in love with Donna Jo Napoli's writing style. Her beautiful prose, intense adventures and heart-braking romance caught me up in stories that legends are made of. But Hush: An Irish Princess' Tale let me down.

Melkorka is an Irish Princess whose brother is mutilated by a Viking, causing her father to retaliate. Mel and her sister are sent to hide in the pre-Columbian Irish wild where they are kidnapped by slave traders and end up on a ship heading for Russia.

With all the promise of an epic adventure, this 320 page book falls short of that promise. The plot moves slowly and is quite disjointed, going from one bad situation to the next without any room to breath. While the plot is lacking, I did still learn to love Mel and hope that things would work out for her in the end, yet the ending didn't leave me satisfied either.

With authors the caliber of Shannon Hale (Book of a Thousand Days) and Tamora Pierce (Melting Stones), Napoli just doesn't stack up.

Viking World, Irish Strength
Napoli's tale of an Irish Princess spirited away on a slave ship to Russia and back,headed to iceland where a life as concubine awaits her, is not like anything you've ever learned about Vikings, good or bad. The tale is told in stark first person, and under the narrative voice is a staggering amount of research that brings the era, its people, its voice, its victims to life. It's like magic. Melkorka is not just a whiny princess, she is a noble creature whose hush tells of her mettle and courage. The lingering memory of the book comes with the obliquity of the tale, its heroine, its details. I'd read this aloud to a high school class, or to young women who need to know that guts and courage don't require tattoos and gangs. It's a powerful story told by a masterful teller.

What "Hush" is and what it isn't
I didn't really know what to expect from Hush Having never read a Napoli book before, it's discription is a little ambiguous and upon reading the first few pages I realized that the story was not what I thought it was going to be.

Hush is told in first person from Melkorka's point of view, which gives the novel the feeling of a story your being told, rather then a story your reading. As though an elderly Melkorka is sitting with you relating the story of her life directly to the reader. The year is 900A.D.At 15 Melkorka has never known anything but extreem comfort and security, She is a Princess and in no doubt that her future is bright. But a birthday trip to Dublin and a random act of violence against her younger brother changes everything.

Things seem to snowball from there, Melkorka and her eight year old sister Brigid are sent away for their own safety but their journy goes nightmareishly wrong. They are kidnapped by Russian slave traders, the Princess finds herself just another face in a mass of human cargo, her only power lies in her silence for she refuses to speak. The ships captain is fascinated and wary of Melkorka, and through him she gains some small amount of protection. Even so, hardship has hummbled the once hauty Princess she no longer feels herself above anyone. She bonds with her fellow captives, and uses her small amount of influence to help them. Then the worst happens. Brigid manages to escape while Melkorka is left on board.The ship eventually lands in the middle east and Melkorka watches powerless as those she has grown to love are sold away. Loss after loss and she can do nothing but endure. I wont say more, I dont wantto spoil the end.

What you should know before buying this book. This is a short one at 308 pages, this causes the story to feel some what rushed. This is not a romance. if your expecting love on the high seas and a daring rescue followed by a happy and for all involved, you will be disapointed. The ending though not tragic is far from rosey. Hush is meant to be testament to the strength of the human spirit. Enjoyable is not a word I would use to discribe Napoli's work here. I think Powerful is more accurate. ... Read more

Book Description
When the substitute for Mr. "Fab" Fabiano never shows up and his sixth-grade students are on their own, they set out to prove that they can run the class by themselves. With a little ingenuity and some careful planning, they might just succeed. But when a fight breaks out between Bastian Fauvell and Rachel White over a classmate, Tommy Feathers, who died six months earlier, everything begins to fall apart. Can Rachel deal with the anxieties that plunged her into silence the day Tommy died? Inventive and uniquely constructed, "Flying Solo" follows Mr. Fab's students hour by hour as they tackle the challenges of an unusual school day. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (30)

Flying Solo
Flying Solo is an amazing book that keeps students on the edge of their seats.It is filled with an amazing adventure for students to react to and debate moral issues on.Students are able to connect with many of the characters in the story.It left my students wanting more!

Flying Solo
Tommy feathers (a student) dies and Rachel (main character) stops talking. No teacher or sub shows up and the class runs it on there own. The class gets caught. It's a sad story from kids dying and its heart breaking to read this book, this is why I like this book.

a very solo book
the book was about kids running a class ,it was very original. I also liked the characters there personalities are cool. Many things happen in the book , every chapter has something different in it . the class sometimes argues alot . one of the students personalities changes in the book . This book might be a must have but people should try it out .

Flying Solo
The book is about some kids that go to school, and some of the students are at the school early beacuse she likes to talk to Mr.Fabiano alone. Then she walked in and looked at the blackboard. Well, it said "I Mr. Fabiano is absent today" and a lot of other things too.I loved this book because it was funny, I also can relate to it on so many different ways. There is not anything that I did not liked or enjoy about the book. I would give this book 5 out of 5 stars.

Flying solo
The book is about a class that has no sub and no teacher and they vote to see if they should tell someone or not. I loved the part were Bastian gives Sean a big present. I also loved the part were Rachel does something kind of unexpected. Last but not least I like the end. I loved every part in this book. I would totally recommend this book. I would give this book five stars. ...