High School

Julie of the Wolves

Book cover: 'Julie of the Wolves'
Author(s): 
Jean Craighead George
Her Eskimo name is Miyax, her American name is Julie. She is journeying through the desolate North Slope of Alaska, from Barrow to Point Hope, and starving. There are no lemmings, which means there are no weasels, no white foxes, no snowy owls - in fact, no food that Miyax can catch with only a knife. Her only hope for survival, she feels, is to befriend the wolves, to become a member of their pack, and this she sets out to do.

Sun Slower, Sun Faster

Book cover: 'Sun Slower, Sun Faster'
Author(s): 
Meriol Trevor
Thirteen-year-old Cecelia Morne was staying at Welston Manor for a time (not long after World War II ended) while her parents were out of the country. This family estate in the countryside near Bristol, England, was owned by her uncle, Ambrose Morne. Ambrose had a great-nephew, Richard, who was also staying there. Cecelia ("Cecil") soon become good friends with Rickie and his tutor, Dominic. One day Dominic showed Cecil and Rickie a small room hidden in a wall of the old manor. A little later, the two children entered the room. It had a door on each wall.

The Weka-Feather Cloak

Book cover: 'The Weka-Feather Cloak: A New Zealand Fantasy'
Author(s): 
Leo Madigan
I have to be perfectly honest. I didn't expect to like this book. The idea of an overtly Catholic fantasy-adventure story trying to make it's way into the genre dominated by Harry Potter? Well... I skeptically picked up the book and read four or five chapters the night it arrived in the mail. It seemed interesting but things didn't seem to be making much sense yet. I picked it up again the next day and the plot thickened. A few more chapters and I was hooked.

The Shadow of the Bear

Book cover: 'The Shadow of the Bear: Snow White and Rose Red Retold'
Author(s): 
Regina Doman
This book was originally published in hardcover as Snow White and Rose Red: A Modern Fairy Tale. The original edition is out of print.

Among homeschool teenage girls who read this book, there is an interesting phenomenon occurring. They read this book, not once, not twice, but numerous times. In fact, my daughter's friend has lost track of how many times she has read it. Intrigued by this phenomenon, I was curious to read this book.

A Long Way from Welcome

Book cover: 'A Long Way from Welcome: A Mystery in Paris'
Author(s): 
Echo Lewis
In this story Echo Lewis takes us from the small town of Welcome, Indiana, all the way to Paris, France alongside Maggie, a shy teenager who would really rather stay at home in her comfortable small town surroundings. Maggie is visiting her new step-dad's sister in an ancient convent in the heart of the city. There she becomes wrapped up in her new home and friends and in a mystery involving a series of art heists plaguing Paris.

Amata Means Beloved

Book cover: 'Amata Means Beloved'
Author(s): 
Sister Mary Catharine Perry, O.P.
Sister has given us a beautiful look behind the closed doors of a cloistered convent in this little gem set in post 9-11 America. It is the story of a young woman who feels called to religious life but struggles to understand God's workings. This woman had been discerning her vocation to religious life when her life is shattered by the death of her brother, a seminarian, who is killed by terrorists. She has been unable to get over the loss of this beloved brother and although she wants to, cannot forgive the men that killed him.

The Good Bad Boy

Author(s): 
Father Gerald Brennan
Neumann Press has reprinted another delightful novel by Father Brennan in one of its lovely hardbound editions (they also offer it in a quality softcover edition). This short, easy-to-read novel was a wonderful addition to a rainy afternoon for our family. Although aimed at an 8th-grade boy typical of the 1940s, the diary format and "everyday" charm appealed to my entire family. It would be an especially good book for a reluctant or struggling reader to tackle successfully on their own.

Cobra Island

Book cover: 'Cobra Island'
Author(s): 
Rev. Neil Boyton, S.J.
Frank Gaze, known by his friends as Scouty, is accompanying his father on a trip to India during World War I. When an enemy vessel destroys their ship and all on board must flee in lifeboats, Scouty is separated from his father. He and his companions become separated from the other lifeboats and are forced to land on a deserted island in the Indian Ocean.

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