What do you think?
Rate this book
The River Way Home: The Adventures of the Cowboy, the Indian, and the Amazon Queen
ALLIGATORS, OUTLAWS AND TOURISTS!Best Florida Fiction of 2013*Best Florida Young Adult Book of 2013*John J. Horgan Award Winner**A Disneyesque classic for for young adults and adults who are young at heart!
It's 1914 on Florida's last frontier. A young Cracker fisherman's son who yearns to become a Florida cow hunter, a Seminole boy who sees his way of life dying, and an educated African-American girl from Baltimore who longs to have adventures lose their boat in a Lake Okeechobee storm.
Alone in the mysterious Florida Jungle between Lake Okeechobee and the Atlantic Ocean and armed with only the skills of their cultures, they fight off the denizens of the swamp only to discover outlaws blocking the only road back. So, they embark on a quest down the river to find a new way back. How will they survive and who will they be when they get Home? "The River Way Home" is a tale of pre-bulldozer Florida Full of action, humor, exotic animals, and conflicts that remain contemporary today. It is a classic tale of friendship and coming-of-age that will take you back in time to your childhood favorites.
Immerse yourself in the unique environment of the vanishing Florida Jungle. Face off against the notorious John Ashley and his gang of bank robbers. Learn about Cracker cowboys, Okeechobee fishermen, Seminole Indians and the Florida swamps of yore.
*Florida Authors and Publisher's Association.**Florida Historical Society#Florida panther, #alligator, #rattlesnake, #dugout canoe, #Indian River, #House of Refuge, #lightning, #chickee,
It's 1914 on Florida's last frontier. A young Cracker fisherman's son who yearns to become a Florida cow hunter, a Seminole boy who sees his way of life dying, and an educated African-American girl from Baltimore who longs to have adventures lose their boat in a Lake Okeechobee storm.
Alone in the mysterious Florida Jungle between Lake Okeechobee and the Atlantic Ocean and armed with only the skills of their cultures, they fight off the denizens of the swamp only to discover outlaws blocking the only road back. So, they embark on a quest down the river to find a new way back. How will they survive and who will they be when they get Home? "The River Way Home" is a tale of pre-bulldozer Florida Full of action, humor, exotic animals, and conflicts that remain contemporary today. It is a classic tale of friendship and coming-of-age that will take you back in time to your childhood favorites.
Immerse yourself in the unique environment of the vanishing Florida Jungle. Face off against the notorious John Ashley and his gang of bank robbers. Learn about Cracker cowboys, Okeechobee fishermen, Seminole Indians and the Florida swamps of yore.
*Florida Authors and Publisher's Association.**Florida Historical Society#Florida panther, #alligator, #rattlesnake, #dugout canoe, #Indian River, #House of Refuge, #lightning, #chickee,
340 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 18, 2013
4 people are currently reading
473 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
August 15, 2013
Follow along with three young and unlikely friends as a simple boat ride through the waters of an untamed Florida becomes not only a dangerous journey, but an adventure of epic proportions sure to ignite the imaginations of readers old or young! The River Way Home: The Adventures of the Cowboy, The Indian and the Amazon Queen by Mary E. Dawson is filled with historical value and a sense of wonder and discovery as Queenie, an educated young black girl, Chief, a young Seminole boy and Billy, a young cracker boy with an as yet untapped, yet brilliant mind, brave nature, the elements and some dangerous outlaws, as they try to make their way to the safety of home.
Mary E. Dawson has created a beautifully written novel brimming with true historical facts surrounding Central Florida in the days before man and the railroad tamed its vast lands, when word of mouth and tales of the past kept the spirit of the land alive. Her characters are warm, sweet and innocent, but showed amazing poise, loyalty and true grit when called upon. Ms. Dawson’s world-building is like a mental trip through time, to the sights and smells of the ‘jungles’ and wonders of Florida that is both captivating and memorable. For younger readers, she has cleverly disguised history lessons in a book that begs to be read! And I admit it I knew very little of what she so generously shared!
The River Way Home: The Adventures of the Cowboy, The Indian and the Amazon Queen is a trip through the real Florida, long before Disney came along! Should you read it and share it? Definitely!
I sincerely wish to thank the author for allowing me the opportunity to share in this fantastic journey!
Publication Date: April 18, 2013
Publisher: WRB Publishing
ISBN: 978-0985676254
Number of Pages: 338
Genre: Historical Fiction/Adventure
Age Recommendation: Middle Grade on up
My Rating:
Available from: Amazon / Barnes & Noble
For more reviews check out Tome Tender's Book Blog or find us on Facebook.
Mary E. Dawson has created a beautifully written novel brimming with true historical facts surrounding Central Florida in the days before man and the railroad tamed its vast lands, when word of mouth and tales of the past kept the spirit of the land alive. Her characters are warm, sweet and innocent, but showed amazing poise, loyalty and true grit when called upon. Ms. Dawson’s world-building is like a mental trip through time, to the sights and smells of the ‘jungles’ and wonders of Florida that is both captivating and memorable. For younger readers, she has cleverly disguised history lessons in a book that begs to be read! And I admit it I knew very little of what she so generously shared!
The River Way Home: The Adventures of the Cowboy, The Indian and the Amazon Queen is a trip through the real Florida, long before Disney came along! Should you read it and share it? Definitely!
I sincerely wish to thank the author for allowing me the opportunity to share in this fantastic journey!
Publication Date: April 18, 2013
Publisher: WRB Publishing
ISBN: 978-0985676254
Number of Pages: 338
Genre: Historical Fiction/Adventure
Age Recommendation: Middle Grade on up
My Rating:
Available from: Amazon / Barnes & Noble
For more reviews check out Tome Tender's Book Blog or find us on Facebook.
March 12, 2014
This is a goodreads first reads review.
This book is geared towards young teenagers, and even though I am not one, I still enjoyed the story greatly. Well written and organized with plenty of history woven in, it's a good read for anyone. At the end of the book, it has photos and bios of real people that she based the characters off of, as well as other history about the setting of the story.
This book is geared towards young teenagers, and even though I am not one, I still enjoyed the story greatly. Well written and organized with plenty of history woven in, it's a good read for anyone. At the end of the book, it has photos and bios of real people that she based the characters off of, as well as other history about the setting of the story.
December 30, 2013
The River Way Home--What a Gem!
I just turned the last page of this book. And, what can I tell you that other reviewers haven’t mentioned already? This book reminded me what it’s like to be a kid, and to dream of grandiose adventures in a world that is full of wildness, wonder, and possibilities. We are so conditioned in this age to wait for the “nightmare” to come out and grab us in current fiction. And, so I waited. And, I waited some more. The fun adventure never turned into a horrible nightmare. Because of this it gave me the ability to relax and really enjoy the mischief that the kids got into along the way.
And, although to some, it might have seemed that the tight situations might have been tall tales stretched a bit too long. But for anyone who has lived in Florida, they might say most of what the kids did seemed like it could have happened. I did live there in the early 1970s through the 1980s. The storms are brutal and frightening, the Everglades were wild, the gators were scary, and I did have occasion to run from the boogie man more than a few times. It’s a bit hard to envision all of this from the big cities of Miami and Ft. Lauderdale, but if you go upstate toward the middle—at least back then—you could see how the landscape and the people changed. It was a whole different world that could really give you a glimpse of this untamed wild Florida we see in the book.
So, what if the story is a yarn told by an old grisly cowboy camped out around a fire on a clear starry night? Isn’t that what we are missing these days--just a good old fashioned story to tickle the imagination, and lend a person to believe that their hopes and dreams might come true? That’s what this book was--just a marvelous tale—unique, unlike any I’ve read in a long time. Three scrappy kids, all unlikely friends from totally different backgrounds, fall into all kinds of trouble in the raw wilderness of the Florida Everglades in 1914. This story has heart, and these kids have spunk and guts and imagination to get out of the crazy situations they get into. They’re smart. They’re brave. And, best of all, they are tight and true friends.
The book is full of hope that all their dreams will come true: Blue-eyed Billy wants to have a ranch; the Chief wants the wisdom and insight to lead his people; and, Queenie the Amazon warrior wants to grow up and have adventures, live out quests, and be free. Today these don’t seem like such momentous triumphs. But, in 1914, in the backwoods of that untamed state these were lofty goals for kids to strive for. And, even though the book doesn’t tell us what happened to them when they grew up—we know, by the end of the story, that their dreams probably did come true.
I offer my thanks to Mary Dawson for allowing me to read and review this special story. It really is a gem!
I just turned the last page of this book. And, what can I tell you that other reviewers haven’t mentioned already? This book reminded me what it’s like to be a kid, and to dream of grandiose adventures in a world that is full of wildness, wonder, and possibilities. We are so conditioned in this age to wait for the “nightmare” to come out and grab us in current fiction. And, so I waited. And, I waited some more. The fun adventure never turned into a horrible nightmare. Because of this it gave me the ability to relax and really enjoy the mischief that the kids got into along the way.
And, although to some, it might have seemed that the tight situations might have been tall tales stretched a bit too long. But for anyone who has lived in Florida, they might say most of what the kids did seemed like it could have happened. I did live there in the early 1970s through the 1980s. The storms are brutal and frightening, the Everglades were wild, the gators were scary, and I did have occasion to run from the boogie man more than a few times. It’s a bit hard to envision all of this from the big cities of Miami and Ft. Lauderdale, but if you go upstate toward the middle—at least back then—you could see how the landscape and the people changed. It was a whole different world that could really give you a glimpse of this untamed wild Florida we see in the book.
So, what if the story is a yarn told by an old grisly cowboy camped out around a fire on a clear starry night? Isn’t that what we are missing these days--just a good old fashioned story to tickle the imagination, and lend a person to believe that their hopes and dreams might come true? That’s what this book was--just a marvelous tale—unique, unlike any I’ve read in a long time. Three scrappy kids, all unlikely friends from totally different backgrounds, fall into all kinds of trouble in the raw wilderness of the Florida Everglades in 1914. This story has heart, and these kids have spunk and guts and imagination to get out of the crazy situations they get into. They’re smart. They’re brave. And, best of all, they are tight and true friends.
The book is full of hope that all their dreams will come true: Blue-eyed Billy wants to have a ranch; the Chief wants the wisdom and insight to lead his people; and, Queenie the Amazon warrior wants to grow up and have adventures, live out quests, and be free. Today these don’t seem like such momentous triumphs. But, in 1914, in the backwoods of that untamed state these were lofty goals for kids to strive for. And, even though the book doesn’t tell us what happened to them when they grew up—we know, by the end of the story, that their dreams probably did come true.
I offer my thanks to Mary Dawson for allowing me to read and review this special story. It really is a gem!
April 2, 2015
"The River Way Home" is a local historical fiction set in Okeechobee and Stuart in 1914. It follows three 13-14 year old characters: a poor white boy who wants to be a cowhunter/cowboy, a Seminole boy, and a "proper colored girl" who wants adventure. The book is basically G-rated and aimed at a YA audience, but written at a level to be accessible for adults. 273 pages of story are followed by a 60-page appendix with photos and information explaining the historical basis for the novel.
First off, for a locally published book, local fiction, and a first-time author this is a very well-done book. It is well-edited and has the right amount of detail on the local setting. It hits a nice balance of being historically connected without being too rigidly attached to historical events. The writing and characters were solid. The appendix on the book's background is an idea that other historical fiction would be well-served to use.
However, I made slow progress through this book and gave up about 2/3's of the way through. I found the plot to be dull; the characters were going places and doing things and talking about stuff and none of it really connected with me. Maybe I am too familiar with the history for it to be surprising or exciting, maybe I just have trouble connecting to 13-year-old characters, or maybe the stakes were just too low to catch my interest. It's not bad, it's just not for me.
The author came to our book club meeting where she gave an entertaining talk about the book's background, and I think the rest of the members enjoyed the book more than I did (it may be telling that I was the only member of book club who grew up in many of the places the book takes place). I would definitely recommend this to younger readers. Adults will probably have more of a mixed response, but those particular found of pre-teen characters, unfamiliar with but interested in the history, and/or who enjoy waxing nostalgic about "the way it was" a century ago will also enjoy it.
First off, for a locally published book, local fiction, and a first-time author this is a very well-done book. It is well-edited and has the right amount of detail on the local setting. It hits a nice balance of being historically connected without being too rigidly attached to historical events. The writing and characters were solid. The appendix on the book's background is an idea that other historical fiction would be well-served to use.
However, I made slow progress through this book and gave up about 2/3's of the way through. I found the plot to be dull; the characters were going places and doing things and talking about stuff and none of it really connected with me. Maybe I am too familiar with the history for it to be surprising or exciting, maybe I just have trouble connecting to 13-year-old characters, or maybe the stakes were just too low to catch my interest. It's not bad, it's just not for me.
The author came to our book club meeting where she gave an entertaining talk about the book's background, and I think the rest of the members enjoyed the book more than I did (it may be telling that I was the only member of book club who grew up in many of the places the book takes place). I would definitely recommend this to younger readers. Adults will probably have more of a mixed response, but those particular found of pre-teen characters, unfamiliar with but interested in the history, and/or who enjoy waxing nostalgic about "the way it was" a century ago will also enjoy it.
August 5, 2016
Book Description:
“ALLIGATORS, OUTLAWS, AND TOURISTS!
What is it? The Florida story of course.
"The River Way Home: The Adventures of the Cowboy, the Indian, and the Amazon Queen," is a nostalgic tale of pre-bulldozer Florida for young adults and adults who are young at heart.
A young Cracker who yearns to become a Florida cow hunter, a Seminole boy, and an educated African-American girl from the northeast are stranded in the magical and mysterious Florida Jungle between Lake Okeechobee and the Atlantic Ocean in 1914. Through adventures involving alligators, outlaws, and tourists (What else?), they discover who they are and become the heroes of their own legends.
With a section of old photos and short historical essays at the end, "The River Way Home" is historical fiction full of action, humor, exotic creatures, and conflicts that remain contemporary today. It's a classic tale of friendship and coming-of-age that will take you back in time to your childhood favorites.”
Florida’s last frontier. The Florida Jungle 1914. For modern day 2013, it’s hard to imagine well known tourist destinations such as Fort Lauderdale, Kissimmee & Palm Beach as anything but. This very interesting and rare look at Florida frontier life in 1914 is completely
and utterly worlds apart different. The ecological, cultural and geographical history of South Florida at that time is simply fascinating.
Dawson writes of the frontier life in Florida as reminiscent of similar adventures to please either gender---like Tom Sawyer, Huck Finn and the Ingalls Family. Rich in geographical detail, this well written and educational adventure is a great summer read for middle grades and older.
The photos and descriptions at the end of the book on the places, faces and lives that inspired the story are very interesting and help paint an even more vivid picture of what life in the Florida jungle was like almost 100 years ago.
A very enjoyable adventure.
“ALLIGATORS, OUTLAWS, AND TOURISTS!
What is it? The Florida story of course.
"The River Way Home: The Adventures of the Cowboy, the Indian, and the Amazon Queen," is a nostalgic tale of pre-bulldozer Florida for young adults and adults who are young at heart.
A young Cracker who yearns to become a Florida cow hunter, a Seminole boy, and an educated African-American girl from the northeast are stranded in the magical and mysterious Florida Jungle between Lake Okeechobee and the Atlantic Ocean in 1914. Through adventures involving alligators, outlaws, and tourists (What else?), they discover who they are and become the heroes of their own legends.
With a section of old photos and short historical essays at the end, "The River Way Home" is historical fiction full of action, humor, exotic creatures, and conflicts that remain contemporary today. It's a classic tale of friendship and coming-of-age that will take you back in time to your childhood favorites.”
Florida’s last frontier. The Florida Jungle 1914. For modern day 2013, it’s hard to imagine well known tourist destinations such as Fort Lauderdale, Kissimmee & Palm Beach as anything but. This very interesting and rare look at Florida frontier life in 1914 is completely
and utterly worlds apart different. The ecological, cultural and geographical history of South Florida at that time is simply fascinating.
Dawson writes of the frontier life in Florida as reminiscent of similar adventures to please either gender---like Tom Sawyer, Huck Finn and the Ingalls Family. Rich in geographical detail, this well written and educational adventure is a great summer read for middle grades and older.
The photos and descriptions at the end of the book on the places, faces and lives that inspired the story are very interesting and help paint an even more vivid picture of what life in the Florida jungle was like almost 100 years ago.
A very enjoyable adventure.
March 31, 2014
The novel follows the journey of three children who become lost in the Lake Okeechobee region of Florida during a storm. Set in 1914, it is a diorama of life in Florida as the railway was making incursions in that state and the effect this progress had on the people and the places. The novel well written and well researched and captured the essence of small town life very well. It was a gentle tale that lacked a strong plot line or character development. Apart from a few climatic incidents, the story was mostly a pastiche of places and historical events cobbled together to form a story as we followed the three main characters in their travels. While there was talk of a quest, there were no firm story goals and nothing at stake that propelled the characters in their journey except to see more of the richness of the wetlands and I felt the story ended a bit flatly. The last part of the book details the events and people on which events in the book were based which, while interesting, were not essential to the story. While this story would be of interest to people who are familiar with this area of Florida and the history, it would be of limited interest to those who are expecting an adventure story with high stakes. In saying that, I believe that it would appeal to teachers who are seeking a well-told story set in another time and place that would both entertain and educate a classroom. The chapters are short which facilitate a day by day reading and the subject matter can be used as a classroom exercise to promote discussion and research.
July 17, 2014
Because I live in the area where this book takes place, I loved the local history, but I felt the plot and characters were lacking. The plot had no depth, but seemed more of a surface storyline - a string of events that, except for the characters, really did not tie together. I was hoping for something a little more complex - a minor conflict that took a bit of resolving, and then a more complex and suspenseful conflict based on the first. But each obstacle that the characters ran into was too easily resolved - too good to be true. In the final conflict, the 14-year-old protagonist had an outlaw eating out of her hand. Really?
The characters themselves were too trite and predictable. In an effort to "show, don't tell," the author described various facial expressions, rather than tell her audience how the characters felt. (Sometimes I didn't understand what the facial expressions were supposed to mean.) That m.o. is effective a few times, but grew a bit old by the end of the book. I wanted something more than facial expressions to be able to relate to these kids, and it wasn't there. I love young adult literature. There is some very well written literature out there for children and teens. This one left me wanting more, and I don't think that today's teens will be able to stay with this story long enough to finish it.
The characters themselves were too trite and predictable. In an effort to "show, don't tell," the author described various facial expressions, rather than tell her audience how the characters felt. (Sometimes I didn't understand what the facial expressions were supposed to mean.) That m.o. is effective a few times, but grew a bit old by the end of the book. I wanted something more than facial expressions to be able to relate to these kids, and it wasn't there. I love young adult literature. There is some very well written literature out there for children and teens. This one left me wanting more, and I don't think that today's teens will be able to stay with this story long enough to finish it.
August 26, 2013
As story tellers go, Ms. Dawson is one of the better ones. Following close along the path of Huckleberry Finn, The River Way Home: The Adventures of the Cowboy, the Indian, and the Amazon Queen is a well told coming of age story about three teens in Florida set during the second decade of the last century. Filled with a strong story, wonderful imagery, and well developed characters, the book paints a vivid picture of the time with a solid mix of history, the clash of different cultures, the still prevalent issues of inequality across race, gender, and mindset; all set against the pressure of progress and its effect on traditions. I recommend this book as a required read for young adults to augment their understanding of history usually whitewashed by traditional textbooks. This is an educational read, certainly, but the adventures of the three youths over a few days in 1914 are very entertaining, palatable for all ages, and the ending arrives much too quickly.
I hope Ms. Dawson turns this into a series and publishes more adventures as the different lives of each character hopefully intertwine again in the future.
I hope Ms. Dawson turns this into a series and publishes more adventures as the different lives of each character hopefully intertwine again in the future.
September 20, 2014
Summary – It was the year 1914, and Queenie (an African-American girl) never could have imagined how running into a white fishboy (Billy) and a Seminole Indian (the Chief was his nickname) would change her life. But change it they did. It all started out with a simple boat ride onto a lake. It turned into an all-out adventure! From running from an outlaw to getting struck by lighting, join the tale of 3 unlikely friends on an adventure through the Everglades!
What I thought – Historical fiction is a favorite of mine and this book did not disappoint! It is chock-full of action, history, and excitement! Queenie is a great main character, and she sounds like someone that I would love to go on an adventure with. I like how Ms. Dawson teaches her readers about the Everglades and the time period while wrapping a great story around it. I also like how she works in the Odyssey, the Iliad, King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, Seminole Legends, and more, into her story, while making it all sound good and come together. I would read another book by Ms. Dawson!
*NOTE I got a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
What I thought – Historical fiction is a favorite of mine and this book did not disappoint! It is chock-full of action, history, and excitement! Queenie is a great main character, and she sounds like someone that I would love to go on an adventure with. I like how Ms. Dawson teaches her readers about the Everglades and the time period while wrapping a great story around it. I also like how she works in the Odyssey, the Iliad, King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, Seminole Legends, and more, into her story, while making it all sound good and come together. I would read another book by Ms. Dawson!
*NOTE I got a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
June 16, 2013
The River Way Home is a truly delightful historical novel from new author Mary Dawson. For those who love the classic A Land Remembered by Patrick Smith, The River Way Home will be a real treat. Though the novel encompasses only a few days of adventure in the lives of the Cowboy, the Indian and the Amazon Queen, it paints a compelling and accurate portrait of frontier Florida in the early 1900's. An excellent choice for readers from middle school on up, Dawson breathes life into her diverse trio of characters -- a "fish boy" yearning to become a cracker cowboy, a Seminole Indian and an educated African-American girl from the northeast. History buffs will enjoy the authentic detail of people and place that Dawson weaves throughout her story, as well as the photos and historical information she included as an appendix.
March 24, 2014
First of all I offer my thanks to Mary Dawson for allowing me to read and review this marvelous story. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book!
It’s a story about 3 young friends with different cultural backgrounds. It takes place in Florida in the year 1914.
A fun read, recommended for all ages. And especially for anyone who loves adventure and history that is turned into a wonderful story. Everything is beautifully described by the author, this made it very vivid. I could easily place myself next to the characters and see everything through my own eyes.
There is no shortage of suspense in this book. Although it's rather short, it's packed with true history and full of action.
A riveting read for anyone who loves good writing, engaging characters and historical fiction! :-)
It’s a story about 3 young friends with different cultural backgrounds. It takes place in Florida in the year 1914.
A fun read, recommended for all ages. And especially for anyone who loves adventure and history that is turned into a wonderful story. Everything is beautifully described by the author, this made it very vivid. I could easily place myself next to the characters and see everything through my own eyes.
There is no shortage of suspense in this book. Although it's rather short, it's packed with true history and full of action.
A riveting read for anyone who loves good writing, engaging characters and historical fiction! :-)
December 26, 2013
I won this book in a Goodreads Giveaway! It turns out, that the target audience for readership is probably several years younger than I. In fact, I'm going to pass it on to my grandson who is nine and I think it will be a perfect fit. I'm particular about the books I give to grandchildren - I want them to be well written, exciting, and educational. Dawson's "The River Way Home" meets all my criteria.
The short chapters take readers on a wild adventure through Florida in the early 1900s. The three main characters are youngsters; American Indian, Anglo, and African American. Their friendship grows as they pursue a quest in the Okeechobee wilderness where they meet alligators, outlaws, and panthers.
I am confident that children of all ages would find this book hard to put down.
The short chapters take readers on a wild adventure through Florida in the early 1900s. The three main characters are youngsters; American Indian, Anglo, and African American. Their friendship grows as they pursue a quest in the Okeechobee wilderness where they meet alligators, outlaws, and panthers.
I am confident that children of all ages would find this book hard to put down.
December 5, 2013
It is easy to see why Ms. Dawson has received awards and nominations for this story.
Though fiction, it seems so real and captures the minds eye beautifully. With a history lesson, of the exciting type, that follows the main story - Ms. Dawson shows exactly where she derived the inspiration for each character and how Florida was during the early 1900's.
i travel the country as a photographer, do some research before visiting a state to photograph it, and I somehow missed all this! Now I NEED to go back to Florida, find the Adams ranch and see it all for myself!
Though fiction, it seems so real and captures the minds eye beautifully. With a history lesson, of the exciting type, that follows the main story - Ms. Dawson shows exactly where she derived the inspiration for each character and how Florida was during the early 1900's.
i travel the country as a photographer, do some research before visiting a state to photograph it, and I somehow missed all this! Now I NEED to go back to Florida, find the Adams ranch and see it all for myself!
August 18, 2016
I just finished reading The River Way Home and really liked it. I liked it because it was a setting in the outdoors and the characters were always running into a lot of interesting animals, people and different situations. Queenie, The Chief and Billy worked together using their natural skills. I also liked this book because I've been to Florida several times and it gave me a different perspective of Florida. I thought it was cool how they did every thing without modern technology.
October 24, 2013
I love living in this part of Florida. What a delight to read this engaging tale set in and around Stuart in 1914. I enjoyed learning the history of this beautiful place through the eyes of three young adventurers as they set off on a quest to tour a lake only to discover so much more about their land and themselves.
August 6, 2016
This was an exciting book that explores Florida's history and rich cultural makeup. Through the adventures of some very intelligent children, you visualize Florida and the untapped potential people saw in it during 1914. With great attention and focus, the author explores the frontiers discovered in Florida and a world that was viewed by hunters and Seminole warriors of great fame.
April 5, 2014
Not being a fan of former Martin Co. Commisioner Mary Dawson, I was pleased with her research and tales of Old Florida. Her fiction combined the real and unreal extremely well of what the early settlers had to endure. Should become a "must read" for the schools.
November 22, 2016
Excellent
Brought me back to my own childhood. Queenie and I are definitely from the same Spirit . Such an enjoyable book.
Brought me back to my own childhood. Queenie and I are definitely from the same Spirit . Such an enjoyable book.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews