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Cave of Journeys
Join fourteen-year-old Sarah and her eleven-year-old brother Mattie as they journey one hundred years back in time. As they enter a magical cave Sarah, Mattie and their grandfather are mysteriously transported from Iceland in 2011. They arrive in New Iceland, near Gimli, Manitoba. The year is 1911. While exploring, they meet a fourteen-year-old Cree boy named Willow Walker and his First Nations family. The three adventurers stumble upon the CAVE OF JOURNEYS. This magical place records the chapters of humankind through picture writing. Sarah, Mattie and Willow Walker meet an ancient oak tree who recruits them to retrieve original stories of Canadian history. Their whirlwind adventure in a flying canoe takes them to four locations. The youth rush to visit Elders entrusted to guard rock paintings at sites throughout the Canadian Shield. They have four days to accomplish their goal in a race against time. CAVE OF JOURNEYS, a juvenile fiction novel, combines legend with fantasy. Similar to Alice in ALICE IN WONDERLAND the youth face real issues in a world that combines enchantment and fantasy with reality. Is this world, with oversized creatures, wise Elders and a talking tree real? Is Willow Walker real? Or is it all part of a world where legends abound? Join Sarah, Mattie and Willow Walker on their journey as they discover stories rich in the culture and traditions of Cree, Icelandic and Ojibwe people.
236 pages, Paperback
First published July 28, 2011
101 people want to read
About the author
Penny Ross
13 books17 followersAuthor of CAVE OF JOURNEYS, a family novel for youth 10 years and older, BIRD OF PARADISE DRUMS BEATING, a tale of reincarnation, MRS. MUGGLES LEARNS TO READ, an illustrated children's picture book for children 4 years and older and STOLEN SPIRITS, a contemporary murder mystery.
Penny has been writing since she was young and is self-published on Kindle and Amazon. She loves to hear from her fans!
Check out her new novelettes, HASHTAG MURDERS. This series of thrillers will be released in early August 2015.
Penny is also working on a fantasy novelette and a sequel to Cave of Journeys.
Penny has been writing since she was young and is self-published on Kindle and Amazon. She loves to hear from her fans!
Check out her new novelettes, HASHTAG MURDERS. This series of thrillers will be released in early August 2015.
Penny is also working on a fantasy novelette and a sequel to Cave of Journeys.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
September 19, 2014
Cave of Journeys is a darn good book. Imaginative, well-researched, respectful, and entirely appropriate for children.
It's true that this book will never emerge as a serious contender to favourite pre-teen novels such as Harry Potter or Divergent. That's not the point.
This book is absolutely to be savoured as a slow feast, to be given plenty of time to learn all the fascinating tidbits in this book about wildlife and aboriginal folklore. The flights of fantasy, such as flying canoe, talking tree, huge butterfly, and giant grumpy squirrel are well-thought out and complement the educational discourse that runs throughout this delightful book.
Yes, it may be a bit slow to start, yes, several lines could be taken out (especially concerning when the characters discuss how useful something is going to be--we don't need to hear that--show it, don't talk it up) but the essential thing is, this is a fun read. Children can read this book once in the proper frame of mind, if they're told that this is a reference book with plenty of story-telling and fantasy. Trust me, try it, if you have a child who loves to read anyway, and especially if a child loves to read about wildlife and folklore.
I enjoyed the references to Canada--where I live, and to Iceland, which I have visited and loved. But even if I did not know or live in these countries, I would still enjoy this book.
Thank you to the author for daring to be different, unique, and spunky. Thank you for bringing this book to the world.
It's true that this book will never emerge as a serious contender to favourite pre-teen novels such as Harry Potter or Divergent. That's not the point.
This book is absolutely to be savoured as a slow feast, to be given plenty of time to learn all the fascinating tidbits in this book about wildlife and aboriginal folklore. The flights of fantasy, such as flying canoe, talking tree, huge butterfly, and giant grumpy squirrel are well-thought out and complement the educational discourse that runs throughout this delightful book.
Yes, it may be a bit slow to start, yes, several lines could be taken out (especially concerning when the characters discuss how useful something is going to be--we don't need to hear that--show it, don't talk it up) but the essential thing is, this is a fun read. Children can read this book once in the proper frame of mind, if they're told that this is a reference book with plenty of story-telling and fantasy. Trust me, try it, if you have a child who loves to read anyway, and especially if a child loves to read about wildlife and folklore.
I enjoyed the references to Canada--where I live, and to Iceland, which I have visited and loved. But even if I did not know or live in these countries, I would still enjoy this book.
Thank you to the author for daring to be different, unique, and spunky. Thank you for bringing this book to the world.
August 5, 2014
I liked the easy flow of the story, very much like how I imagined a late-night storytelling activity would be--the kind that gives you comfort as you are told about adventures out there in the wild, wild world. For some strange reason, the book reminds me of The Silver Chair from The Chronicles of Narnia--a girl and a boy accompanied by an elderly. In this book, it's Sarah, Mattie and their Afi (grandfather), whereas in the Narnia book it's Jill, Eustace and Puddleglum. This book has the same wholesomeness as The Silver Chair and the same sense of adventure. Both books lack any sense of urgency, so it becomes a narrative of their travels as they discover new worlds, which in this book is actually an old world set in the past. The children learns about the stories and wonders of the world and what must be done to protect the heritage of the past.
August 28, 2014
Children are going to love this book. The book's start reminds a bit of Alice in Wonderlands. Fortunately, the plot becomes soon original, as the two girls embark on a journey of their own.
The adult in me was a bit bothered by the style: it's a bit childish, and repetitive. If the previous is certainly in accordance with the audience, the latest is probably not. Even kids are going to notice the same word is used over and over. ("girls" appear about 4 times in the very first page).
However, it's a fun read, so I give it 4 stars.
The adult in me was a bit bothered by the style: it's a bit childish, and repetitive. If the previous is certainly in accordance with the audience, the latest is probably not. Even kids are going to notice the same word is used over and over. ("girls" appear about 4 times in the very first page).
However, it's a fun read, so I give it 4 stars.
May 19, 2014
This book was an enjoyable read and provided some interesting stories of many of the legends of our aboriginal community. The characters were recognizable....the energetic younger brother....the burdened older sister....the dreamy stranger. Layered throughout the story were numerous accounts of giant squirrels, dancing lady bugs and talking trees....all in all a fun combination.
August 27, 2014
Cave of Journeys Our story begins in Iceland in 2011 with 14-year-old Sarah, her 11-year-old brother, Mattie, and their grandfather, known as Afi. On a walk, the three discover an enchanted cave. As Afi’s pocket watch spins counterclockwise, they travel back 100 years to 1911 New Iceland.
Back in time, our three journeyers meet Willow Walker, a 14-year old boy, and his family, who speak Cree. Willow Walker’s family lives in harmony on the land, connected to nature and animals. When Sarah, Mattie and Willow Walker return to explore the cave, they encounter talking bugs, a beautiful butterfly, and a massive, magical tree that sends them on a mission: Travel with baskets of gifts to the four Elders, each keepers of the land and protectors of the Aboriginal pictographs. They are charged with bringing back bark scrolls of the Aboriginal “painting writings” from these Elders so their culture, their lives and dreams, can be preserved for future generations.
Sarah, Mattie, and Willow Walker travel in a flying canoe to meet the Elders. During their adventures, they are told stories of other times and learn about nature, places, animals, and the circle of life. Each Elder gives them bark scrolls and red ochre to take back to the Tree so the painted stories may be recorded and preserved.
This book would be an enjoyable read for grade school and middle school children. It is entertaining and educational. It allows children to experience an imaginative world while learning about different cultures, times, places, and ways of living. It is an opportunity to learn new words from a language that is likely unfamiliar. Children can learn about growing and harvesting food as well as the importance of keeping campfire stories alive.
This is a story for anyone that wants to teach their children about a naturalist environment, allow them to experience a time and place where people live in harmony with the land, and how animals can be their teachers. This novel teaches children important lessons about balance and the nature of compassion, kindness and respect. It reflects the importance of documenting lives well-lived.
There were times where I felt the novel delivered too much information rather than showing through storytelling and allowing readers to learn while being engrossed in the story. There were a few issues with point of view, events, and word choice that threw me out of the story. At times I would have liked more images, as a reader, like clothing and weather and movement, to help me more clearly see the setting and action.
I would also recommend this novel.
Our lead protagonist, Sarah, is smart and compassionate (though, if I had my druthers, she would have done less tea-making and more eagle-swooping). Her brother, Mattie, is funny and enthusiastic and (thankfully, for Sarah) continuing to learn and mature. Mattie reminds us what a bother a brother can be, but their relationship also shows us the love of two siblings. We watch our characters grow as they experience an environment that is steeped with fresh learning.
The book also delights us with beautiful illustrations! And I appreciated the glossary of words at the end.
I give this novel 4 STARS for its imaginative storytelling that offers our children a way to learn, grow, and think. It is an educational and entertaining story, written by an obviously smart and compassionate author.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book in order to give a fair and honest, non-reciprocal review.*
Back in time, our three journeyers meet Willow Walker, a 14-year old boy, and his family, who speak Cree. Willow Walker’s family lives in harmony on the land, connected to nature and animals. When Sarah, Mattie and Willow Walker return to explore the cave, they encounter talking bugs, a beautiful butterfly, and a massive, magical tree that sends them on a mission: Travel with baskets of gifts to the four Elders, each keepers of the land and protectors of the Aboriginal pictographs. They are charged with bringing back bark scrolls of the Aboriginal “painting writings” from these Elders so their culture, their lives and dreams, can be preserved for future generations.
Sarah, Mattie, and Willow Walker travel in a flying canoe to meet the Elders. During their adventures, they are told stories of other times and learn about nature, places, animals, and the circle of life. Each Elder gives them bark scrolls and red ochre to take back to the Tree so the painted stories may be recorded and preserved.
This book would be an enjoyable read for grade school and middle school children. It is entertaining and educational. It allows children to experience an imaginative world while learning about different cultures, times, places, and ways of living. It is an opportunity to learn new words from a language that is likely unfamiliar. Children can learn about growing and harvesting food as well as the importance of keeping campfire stories alive.
This is a story for anyone that wants to teach their children about a naturalist environment, allow them to experience a time and place where people live in harmony with the land, and how animals can be their teachers. This novel teaches children important lessons about balance and the nature of compassion, kindness and respect. It reflects the importance of documenting lives well-lived.
There were times where I felt the novel delivered too much information rather than showing through storytelling and allowing readers to learn while being engrossed in the story. There were a few issues with point of view, events, and word choice that threw me out of the story. At times I would have liked more images, as a reader, like clothing and weather and movement, to help me more clearly see the setting and action.
I would also recommend this novel.
Our lead protagonist, Sarah, is smart and compassionate (though, if I had my druthers, she would have done less tea-making and more eagle-swooping). Her brother, Mattie, is funny and enthusiastic and (thankfully, for Sarah) continuing to learn and mature. Mattie reminds us what a bother a brother can be, but their relationship also shows us the love of two siblings. We watch our characters grow as they experience an environment that is steeped with fresh learning.
The book also delights us with beautiful illustrations! And I appreciated the glossary of words at the end.
I give this novel 4 STARS for its imaginative storytelling that offers our children a way to learn, grow, and think. It is an educational and entertaining story, written by an obviously smart and compassionate author.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book in order to give a fair and honest, non-reciprocal review.*
August 23, 2014
This book aimed at children (the author says ages 10+) was an enjoyable well written read although I wanted so much more than it gave me. It left me a little sad. I loved the beginning that sweeps two Icelandic children away quickly with their grandfather back in time through a magical cave. It was a wonderful surprise that opened up my imagination, ready to take-on an adventure. Unfortunately once they encounter the Native American people it starts to get bogged down by lessons of naturalist preservation and the adventure aspect begins to dull. I think even a ten year old would see this more of a teaching book than an adventure, and they could get too bored to hang on.
It is filled wonderful characters both young and old, human and non, that unfold lessons of compassion and living in harmony with the environment. Talking insects, animals, and trees are a nice connection to Icelandic fairy tales and the fact that the children are with their grandfather gives comfort in an otherwise scary situation. I was just waiting for something to happen to them, some danger or conflict to keep the adventure moving.
I learned a lot, as any reader would, it's full of information. I think it's all a very important history with a wonderful message, but delivering it to young people requires hooking them into the story. There are a lot of elements to work with here to easily establish urgency or conflict towards their efforts to return to their time and keep the reader engaged in the adventure.
Overall the writing was pleasant and smooth, but there are some mistakes and repetition that hurt it's potential. Grammatical error is a problem in a book aimed at young readers especially if it's meant to be a teaching tool. There were inconsistencies in descriptions that made it hard for me to visualize the surroundings. The illustrations included are great and more would be a great benefit. I would recommend this book as a teaching tool for Native American (Canadian) and Icelandic history or as an earth day sort of read. It is very imaginative and unique.
It is filled wonderful characters both young and old, human and non, that unfold lessons of compassion and living in harmony with the environment. Talking insects, animals, and trees are a nice connection to Icelandic fairy tales and the fact that the children are with their grandfather gives comfort in an otherwise scary situation. I was just waiting for something to happen to them, some danger or conflict to keep the adventure moving.
I learned a lot, as any reader would, it's full of information. I think it's all a very important history with a wonderful message, but delivering it to young people requires hooking them into the story. There are a lot of elements to work with here to easily establish urgency or conflict towards their efforts to return to their time and keep the reader engaged in the adventure.
Overall the writing was pleasant and smooth, but there are some mistakes and repetition that hurt it's potential. Grammatical error is a problem in a book aimed at young readers especially if it's meant to be a teaching tool. There were inconsistencies in descriptions that made it hard for me to visualize the surroundings. The illustrations included are great and more would be a great benefit. I would recommend this book as a teaching tool for Native American (Canadian) and Icelandic history or as an earth day sort of read. It is very imaginative and unique.
September 3, 2014
The author intends to teach children around the age of ten about the sanctity of the traditions of the First Nations and the New Icelanders, especially of their cave paintings. (The main character and her younger brother are fourteen and eleven respectively.) The tone of book is too didactic for my taste. After putting myself in the frame of mind of a ten year old, I still think so although I’ll admit that I was a pretty ‘contrary’ ten year old.
Magic caves, trees, animals or canoes would not have troubled me. But I would have found the illustrations confusing, although my adult self found them attractive and the best aspect of the book.
My ten year old ears (assuming this story is read aloud) would have found several things jarring in the following passage: “Sarah smiled as she watched him. Afi liked to play with his watch. It had been handed down to him by his grandfather and didn’t work often. When it did tell time [sic] proudly displayed it for all to see.” There seems to be a grating condescension in the tone and some word and/or punctuation might grammatically be missing from the passage; both would have annoyed the ten year old me.
Similarly, the following passage would have puzzled me: “Mattie was equally disappointed. ‘That’s it! [?] Wow, what a rip-off.’” What rip off? Crawling into a cave means getting into a space with dirt; the author knows there is more but the characters do not YET know this. Further, Sarah’s reaction to rabbit stew is unexpected for a preteen in rural Iceland in 2011 or on the Canadian Shield in 1911.
I applaud the author’s mission, hard work on the story and the message but found it difficult to imagine any preteen enjoying this book. As an adult I did not find the writing, the characters or the story engaging.
Magic caves, trees, animals or canoes would not have troubled me. But I would have found the illustrations confusing, although my adult self found them attractive and the best aspect of the book.
My ten year old ears (assuming this story is read aloud) would have found several things jarring in the following passage: “Sarah smiled as she watched him. Afi liked to play with his watch. It had been handed down to him by his grandfather and didn’t work often. When it did tell time [sic] proudly displayed it for all to see.” There seems to be a grating condescension in the tone and some word and/or punctuation might grammatically be missing from the passage; both would have annoyed the ten year old me.
Similarly, the following passage would have puzzled me: “Mattie was equally disappointed. ‘That’s it! [?] Wow, what a rip-off.’” What rip off? Crawling into a cave means getting into a space with dirt; the author knows there is more but the characters do not YET know this. Further, Sarah’s reaction to rabbit stew is unexpected for a preteen in rural Iceland in 2011 or on the Canadian Shield in 1911.
I applaud the author’s mission, hard work on the story and the message but found it difficult to imagine any preteen enjoying this book. As an adult I did not find the writing, the characters or the story engaging.
July 23, 2014
This book is a distillation of short wisdom stories or, to be more precise, ancient lore. It reminded me of Edith Hamilton’s Mythology, which is a collection of ancient tales reworded in easy to understand language for youngsters.
Cave of Journeys is a book of legends and teachings, a book of knowledge. It doesn’t follow a traditional narrative. There is no easy to spot conflict-crisis-resolution arc, three-act structure, four act structure or what have you. I would fondly call it a novelized textbook, an educational textbook written in an entertaining way. For someone studying Native American folklore, this book is a treasure.
Cave of Journeys is a good intro book to Native American folklore, just as Edith Hamilton’s Mythology is a good intro book to Greek mythology. Cave of Journeys is a young adult book yet contains a wealth of factual information. It’s written for children, yet I could see a college anthropology student reading and enjoying it.
As a child, I read dozens of Norse, Greek and Egyptian Mythology books. Had I stumbled across Cave of Journeys in my youth, I probably would have read it until the pages were dog-eared and the spine cracked.
Cave of Journeys is a great starting point for instilling within your child a greater appreciation of world culture. I highly recommend this book.
Cave of Journeys is a book of legends and teachings, a book of knowledge. It doesn’t follow a traditional narrative. There is no easy to spot conflict-crisis-resolution arc, three-act structure, four act structure or what have you. I would fondly call it a novelized textbook, an educational textbook written in an entertaining way. For someone studying Native American folklore, this book is a treasure.
Cave of Journeys is a good intro book to Native American folklore, just as Edith Hamilton’s Mythology is a good intro book to Greek mythology. Cave of Journeys is a young adult book yet contains a wealth of factual information. It’s written for children, yet I could see a college anthropology student reading and enjoying it.
As a child, I read dozens of Norse, Greek and Egyptian Mythology books. Had I stumbled across Cave of Journeys in my youth, I probably would have read it until the pages were dog-eared and the spine cracked.
Cave of Journeys is a great starting point for instilling within your child a greater appreciation of world culture. I highly recommend this book.
July 26, 2014
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a non-reciprocal review.
(There will be spoilers).
"Cave of Journeys" is a very clean read with a lot of information packed into it. If you're looking for something safe for kids, there's absolutely nothing unsavory in here. This is the kind of book where the characters are constantly saying "please", "thank you" and apologizing when they do something that might be considered rude.
I think another reviewer pretty much summed up the main issue the book has: a lack of conflict. There's never any tension. The only time there was a tense moment - when the tree became mad at them - it was resolved in about a page. It never feels like there's anything at stake and everyone always gets along. There's no danger and barely any disagreements.
It also needed editing. For example:
"When it did tell time proudly displayed it for all to see."
"He repeated his maneuvers repeatedly..."
There's also a spot where I felt like a line was meant to be deleted but got left in.
""...Young man, do you have any questions?" the Elder asked Mattie.
"I like your stories. You make them easy to understand."
Mattie thought for a moment. "Nope, I don't have any questions yet.""
The middle line felt out of place. "Then" and "than" are also mixed up constantly in the book. Sometimes they're used correctly, and then they'll be used incorrectly several times, so the book is in need of an editor.
A lot of the book is basically characters talking to each other about history, respect, and other lessons. They're not bad morals to take in or anything, but it is rather exposition-heavy. There also wasn't really an explanation for a lot of things (like why the main characters were the ones picked to go on the journey. There wasn't anything they did that couldn't be done by anyone else).
I'm not sure if the book would hold a child's attention because of the lack of conflict, but it is an innocent enough read and it might. It could be a nice introduction to Native American beliefs if they were interested in it, and it certainly has plenty of nice values to teach them and a lot of information. It didn't keep my attention very well because I need more tension in what I read, but if one of the kids enjoyed it that wouldn't bother me at all.
I'd say it wouldn't hurt to see if your kids enjoy this book, but it probably wouldn't hold the attention of many adults.
(There will be spoilers).
"Cave of Journeys" is a very clean read with a lot of information packed into it. If you're looking for something safe for kids, there's absolutely nothing unsavory in here. This is the kind of book where the characters are constantly saying "please", "thank you" and apologizing when they do something that might be considered rude.
I think another reviewer pretty much summed up the main issue the book has: a lack of conflict. There's never any tension. The only time there was a tense moment - when the tree became mad at them - it was resolved in about a page. It never feels like there's anything at stake and everyone always gets along. There's no danger and barely any disagreements.
It also needed editing. For example:
"When it did tell time proudly displayed it for all to see."
"He repeated his maneuvers repeatedly..."
There's also a spot where I felt like a line was meant to be deleted but got left in.
""...Young man, do you have any questions?" the Elder asked Mattie.
"I like your stories. You make them easy to understand."
Mattie thought for a moment. "Nope, I don't have any questions yet.""
The middle line felt out of place. "Then" and "than" are also mixed up constantly in the book. Sometimes they're used correctly, and then they'll be used incorrectly several times, so the book is in need of an editor.
A lot of the book is basically characters talking to each other about history, respect, and other lessons. They're not bad morals to take in or anything, but it is rather exposition-heavy. There also wasn't really an explanation for a lot of things (like why the main characters were the ones picked to go on the journey. There wasn't anything they did that couldn't be done by anyone else).
I'm not sure if the book would hold a child's attention because of the lack of conflict, but it is an innocent enough read and it might. It could be a nice introduction to Native American beliefs if they were interested in it, and it certainly has plenty of nice values to teach them and a lot of information. It didn't keep my attention very well because I need more tension in what I read, but if one of the kids enjoyed it that wouldn't bother me at all.
I'd say it wouldn't hurt to see if your kids enjoy this book, but it probably wouldn't hold the attention of many adults.
August 24, 2012
I barely finished Cave of Journeys, and I will try my best to be honest with this book, and also focus on the many high points in it.
Cave of Journeys is well-researched, and I found myself learning along with the characters. It is a very cozy read over all, that can be shared with all members of the family. It is very imaginative and the illustrations add a brilliant touch that helps the story move along. The humor on the account of Mattie also added to the story.
The three stars is defined by Amazon as "It's Okay." That is definitely what I thought about the book as a whole. It is good, well written, and educational at the same time. However, I found it difficult to get into. There was a definite lack of conflict throughout the book. Since conflict is a main element in all fiction pieces, I felt like the story was missing something. As a person who doesn't often read this kind of literature, and probably wouldn't pick up the genre at a library, (Aboriginal Canada in early 1900's) I try not to judge harshly, as again, it is a very well-written book, that educates you alongside the characters. I, personally did feel that it lacked conflict, and needed more of it in the book.
In all, if you are looking for a well-written, imaginative story, that just might teach you something, Cave of Journeys is the way to go. You can share this story with your friends and family.
If you were looking to buy this book, and began looking at the reviews, don't let me stop you from getting yourself a fun read.
Oliver Dahl,
Author of The Dreamers: A Story of Sam Kullen
Cave of Journeys is well-researched, and I found myself learning along with the characters. It is a very cozy read over all, that can be shared with all members of the family. It is very imaginative and the illustrations add a brilliant touch that helps the story move along. The humor on the account of Mattie also added to the story.
The three stars is defined by Amazon as "It's Okay." That is definitely what I thought about the book as a whole. It is good, well written, and educational at the same time. However, I found it difficult to get into. There was a definite lack of conflict throughout the book. Since conflict is a main element in all fiction pieces, I felt like the story was missing something. As a person who doesn't often read this kind of literature, and probably wouldn't pick up the genre at a library, (Aboriginal Canada in early 1900's) I try not to judge harshly, as again, it is a very well-written book, that educates you alongside the characters. I, personally did feel that it lacked conflict, and needed more of it in the book.
In all, if you are looking for a well-written, imaginative story, that just might teach you something, Cave of Journeys is the way to go. You can share this story with your friends and family.
If you were looking to buy this book, and began looking at the reviews, don't let me stop you from getting yourself a fun read.
Oliver Dahl,
Author of The Dreamers: A Story of Sam Kullen
October 19, 2014
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a non-reciprocal review.
‘Cave of Journeys’ is a children’s novel tackling the topic of unspoken-for time travel. Mattie and Sarah are transported in time by accident and end up exploring the world of times past as well as its inhabitants.
Urgh… That sounded wrong. To clarify, it is a perfectly innocent children’s book indeed.
The author had a few ideas that will appeal to children: supernatural effects, the very notion of time travel and how it is portrayed in the book, and folklore stories. This is a laudable attempt at making kids interested in history and geography. The atmosphere feels quite mystical as the Elder tells legends and myths which Mattie and Sarah listen to with bated breath.
However, this novel failed to capture my attention, possibly because I am an adult. The children’s constant, monotonous chatter became a bit annoying at one point, as did the preaching of the Elder. The action is quite slow, but I am sure many kids will be mesmerized by the tonnes of fascinating information this story contains.
‘Cave of Journeys’ is a children’s novel tackling the topic of unspoken-for time travel. Mattie and Sarah are transported in time by accident and end up exploring the world of times past as well as its inhabitants.
Urgh… That sounded wrong. To clarify, it is a perfectly innocent children’s book indeed.
The author had a few ideas that will appeal to children: supernatural effects, the very notion of time travel and how it is portrayed in the book, and folklore stories. This is a laudable attempt at making kids interested in history and geography. The atmosphere feels quite mystical as the Elder tells legends and myths which Mattie and Sarah listen to with bated breath.
However, this novel failed to capture my attention, possibly because I am an adult. The children’s constant, monotonous chatter became a bit annoying at one point, as did the preaching of the Elder. The action is quite slow, but I am sure many kids will be mesmerized by the tonnes of fascinating information this story contains.
August 3, 2014
“Cave of Journeys” is a squeaky clean book for children which explores the history of aboriginal people in Canada and their roots in Iceland.
Sarah, Mattie and Afi (their grandfather) are all transported back one hundred years and have a series of adventures.
A magic cave and a flying canoe are featured in the story and these are how these three are able to travel back in time to 1911.
Although this is well written, the story lacks any rising and falling tension. The targeted audience is ten years plus, so this novel is up against the likes of Harry Potter. I can’t help feeling that it may not hold the attention of a child in this age group.
At 220 pages, I believe it is too long in its current state.
Cheers to Ms Ross who seems passionate, not only about the aboriginal history of Canada, but also about educating children on this subject.
I was given a copy of this book in return for an honest review.
Three stars.
Sarah, Mattie and Afi (their grandfather) are all transported back one hundred years and have a series of adventures.
A magic cave and a flying canoe are featured in the story and these are how these three are able to travel back in time to 1911.
Although this is well written, the story lacks any rising and falling tension. The targeted audience is ten years plus, so this novel is up against the likes of Harry Potter. I can’t help feeling that it may not hold the attention of a child in this age group.
At 220 pages, I believe it is too long in its current state.
Cheers to Ms Ross who seems passionate, not only about the aboriginal history of Canada, but also about educating children on this subject.
I was given a copy of this book in return for an honest review.
Three stars.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews