Book Review of "The Whisper of Glocken" by Carol Kendall

Book Review of “The Whisper of Glocken” by Carol Kendall.

This book is the magnificent sequel to “The Gammage Cup”, (a book I previously posted a review about.) Once a again, the villages of the unobtrusive race of the Minnipins are in danger. This time it is not from enemies but from flood waters. It is deduced that the tunnel in the mountains from which the river usually flows has been somehow blocked. The duty of investigating the tunnel falls to the rather reluctant Glocken and a group of ordinary folk whom he would never willingly have chosen as friends, but whom circumstances will shape into some of his closest comrades. The book abounds with danger, narrow scrapes, and wonderful themes.

The theme of both Kendall’s novels of the Minnipins is that heroes are not made of extraordinary stuff. Typically, they don’t even choose the position of heroism. Also, bravery is not a synonym for fearlessness. A hero is an ordinary person who, though deathly afraid, does not choose to run from his fears.

Story Starter Ideas:

• Write a story about a person or a group of people who have the job of saving the lives of other people from some mortal danger thrust upon them. What makes these people heroes?  
• Write a story about an ordinary person who has to face his or her fears. Perhaps write a non-fiction account of yourself in a circumstance like this.  

Book Review of "The Good Master" by Kate Seredy

Book Review of “The Good Master” by Kate Seredy.

This book, a winner of the Newbery Honor, chronicles the summer adventures of Jancsi, a young Hungarian boy, and his cousin Kate. Kate is sent by her father to the ranch owned by Jancsi’s father to “recuperate” after an illness. Jancsi and his family are expecting a docile lamb of a girl. What they get is more like a wild untamed colt. Janci’s father, sometimes called “the Good Master,” is used to taming horses. Now it is up to him to tame Kate.

I appreciated how Kate Seredy’s delightful tale shows how love-directed discipline does worlds more of good to train up an untamed child, (or an untamed horse,) then the use of discipline inflicted in anger. Also, that a child left without discipline turns out headstrong and stubborn. The approach of Jancsi’s father is not to break the will of the horses he handles, or the niece who eventually comes under his roof, but to direct and refine it.

Kate Seredy’s use of good vocabulary and the entertaining escapades of Kate and Jancsi make this book a joy to read.

Story Starter Ideas:

Write a story about two or more friends, siblings, or cousins who are spending their summer together. What character flaws show themselves during their adventures together? Are these flaws ultimately overcome? If so, how are they overcome?   

Book Review of “The Bronze Bow” by Elizabeth George Speare.

This book for young adults was awarded the Newbery medal in 1962 and is a long-time favorite of mine.

Daniel is a Galilean orphan in the time of the Roman occupation of Israel. The only family he’s known for five years is the group of bandits he has come to live with. They share his hatred of Roman rule. His father was brutally killed by the Romans and his mother died soon after. Daniel lives and breathes to revenge the death of his parents. He desires to free his country of Roman rule and daily nurses his deep hatred of the Romans. His sister Leah, though young and beautiful, is believed to be possessed by demons. When she was five, she witnessed the crucifixion of her father and was never the same. She grew up with a profound fear of people and from that day on she would not set foot outside of the house. Everyone believed her to be possessed by demons and left her well-enough alone. Daniel holds the Roman’s responsible for his sister’s wrecked life.

At this time a carpenter named Jesus is astonishing people with his wisdom. Carpenters are not supposed to know the law as thoroughly as this man does. But not only does he know the law, he explains things about God in a way that makes the common people understand him. When Daniel looks at Jesus, he sees a man who is popular with a large following. A man who would make the perfect leader in a war against the Romans. 

But Jesus has no hatred of the Romans. Instead, love characterizes everything he says and does. It will be a long road for Daniel before he begins to understand self-sacrificing love, and the command to even love one’s enemies.

This is an excellently written story that takes hold of the reader’s attention and opens up the heart and mind of its young protagonist Daniel. I liked how it stressed how one must not only have love for one’s family member’s, but also one’s enemies, a truth we might sometimes tend to forget. But an undertone remained in the book that sounded almost as if the author might be saying that because we ought to love our enemies, war is not a good thing. I don’t entirely agree with this. I don’t like war for the wrong reasons. War between nations is grim, but is unfortunately at times a necessity; a belief I mentioned in my previous review on “The Shining Company.”  In WWII for instance, the world could not stand back and let Hitler, whose mind was certainly intent on war for the wrong reasons, slaughter innocent Jews. We had to do something about it. But how does fostering hatred for the enemy help anything? It only robs you of joy and fills you with grief and bitterness, as it does Daniel. But the miracle of forgiveness for your enemies can be yours, through Jesus Christ. God does indeed care deeply for each and every one of us. War is a part of this fallen world we live in but I believe that God will someday restore this world to what it was meant to be.

 I could write much more on this discussion about the Bronze Bow, but I will force myself to finish now by saying that it is a great read and is entertaining as well as educational. Please read it for yourself and form your own opinions on its contents.

Story Starter Ideas: Reconciliation between enemies is a great theme for a story. Write a story about two nations or two individuals who are at enmity with each other. What is the disagreement between them? How does this conflict resolve itself? Will their be a bringing together of former enemies? How is this reconciliation accomplished?    

Book Review of "The Shining Company" by Rosemary Sutcliff

Book Review of “The Shining Company” by Rosemary Sutcliff 

Set in seventh-century medieval Britain, this book is based on a true account about the company of 300 soldiers and 600 shield bearers who fought against the invading Saxons. It is related through the eyes of a young man named Prosper. Though he is fictional, Sutcliff made me feel as if  Prosper was a young man who lived in reality. This is an important skill that not all authors posses.

Prosper desires to be a shield bearer to the prince Gorthyn, who in a short time he has come to admire with that allegiance that would cause him to follow Gorthyn to the death in battle. At age sixteen, his desire to be the prince’s shield bearer is granted. He accompanies Gorthyn when he and 300 other brave and noble men are called upon by king Mynyddog to train for battle against the ferocious Saxon invaders.
Grueling training strengthens not only the company of soldier’s skills in warfare, but the camaraderie they feel for each other. They develop into a fighting brotherhood that comes to be known as “The Shining Company.”
At last, the company is set loose against the Saxons. They find themselves greatly outnumbered. Prosper begins to believe that none of them will escape this war alive.

Using her incredible art of making characters spring to life from the pages of her book, Rosemary Sutcliff caused me to become increasingly attached to the brave young men of the Shining Company. She made me feel the emotions of Prosper as he also becomes attached to these men, and the desolation that is aroused when close friends are killed in battle. She made me see the soldiers and shield bearers of the Shining Company not as a nameless mass of men who fought long ago, but as individuals, men with names and lives and loved ones.

I feel that Sutcliff captures both the ugliness and the honor of war. War is a grim necessity at times. It is often horrible. But disregarding themselves, many soldiers both of the Shining Company and in today’s time go into battle, sacrificing their very lives to protect the lives of their countrymen.
Profoundly penetrating, moving, and at times deeply tragic, “The Shining Company” is one of those books I don’t think I will ever forget. I recommend this book for teens and adults.

Story Starter Ideas

• Is there a significant moment of history that enthralls you? Research it further and then write a story about a person involved in this moment. Imagine you are that person. Try to make history come alive. Be accurate and be detailed. Cause your readers to feel as if they have just stepped into a time machine and were transported to that historical event.
• Is there a group of people in history you feel have been viewed by some in the past or in the present as a nameless mass? Write the story of individual members of this group. Make your readers see them as who they are: human beings.  Perhaps you can write about a group of  people being persecuted for their beliefs, or other people who are being treated wrongly because of their nationality. Christians in communist Russia? Jews being sent to concentration camps during WWII? African Americans in slavery? The German residents of the U.S. during WWII who were sent to camps?  Or you could write about individual soldiers who fought in a war that has occurred in history.  There are so many opportunities to make people from the past come to life as real individuals.

Book review of “The Gammage Cup” by Carol Kendall

Within a ring of impenetrable mountains, 12 villages inhabited by the Minnipins, or “Small Ones,” are safely concealed from all danger.

Or so the Minnipins think.

A few people believe differently. They actually think that their enemies may be attempting to invade the valley. But these individuals are considered eccentric at the best of times and this just sounds plain crazy. Of course they are safe. Haven’t they always been? The particular Minnipins who dare to disagree dress far differently then the customary Minnipin code of dress, which is dull brown and dark green. They enjoy wearing bright colors and don’t hold to any ordinary sort of work. Why, they paint pictures and even search for fabled buried treasure! When they go so far as to stand up against the long venerated council of the town, it is considered too much and they are kicked out of the village. While in exile, these courageous outlaw friends discover the reality of the plot to eradicate the Minnipins. It looks like they might just have to be responsible for attempting to save their kind from total destruction.        

Behind the cover of an imaginative children’s fantasy Kendall hides a much deeper message. She portrays how ridiculous it is to scorn those who are different from us. The Minnipins hold on to tradition just because it is tradition. Because certain things have always been held for truth, (like green is the only proper color to paint your door, shame on you if you don’t,) well then, it must be true! But Kendall tries to demonstrate the deception of this statement. The Minnipins are in need of a change. They are far too self-important and unwilling to listen to the truth about things when it comes their way.

They remind me a bit of some of the Puritans in the 1600’s. Some Puritans thought it scandalous if anyone wore bright colors because they had grown up thinking this way and believed it must be true. They even went to the extent of killing people who disagreed with some of their beliefs. I think it is so important to test what you believe against what is solid truth. It is also important to not shrink from holding fast to the truth just because others will ridicule you if you do. If it is true and worth standing firm on, then it will prove itself true in the long run, even if others do not think it will.

Story Starter Ideas:

• Think of an issue or struggle in our present day, or even in the past, that you think should be addressed, such as bigotry. Create a fantasy world with a problem that resembles the real-life concern at hand. Demonstrate why the problem is wrong and should be ended.
• Come up with characters as flavorful as the ones in The Gammage Cup. If you have a hard time coming up with characters from thin air, use real people’s personalities as your basis.