Archipelago

by David Ward

"Canadian Children's Book Centre Our Choice, 2009"

Twelve-year-old Jonah and his mother, a well-known photographer, are on a self-healing mission, exploring the natural beauty of the Queen Charlotte Islands. They are each trying in their own way to get over the tragic loss of father and husband whodied in a rock climbing accident months before.

One day, a mysterious girl appears wading in the waters near their floathouse, and an even more mysterious mist saves Jonah from his own plunge off a clifftop, Jonah is plunged into a time travel adventure that takes him back 14,000 years when the Charlottes were one of the stops for the ancient peoples making their way from Asia over the Bering Strait and down through the Americas. It is a time when the seas were much lower than they are in the 21st century because of the proliferation of ice and the different climate - and so the map of the islands had changed significantly. For Jonah this is a healing quest, teaming with Akilah, the girl from that other time who teaches him survival skills he has never dreamed of. There is menace in the confrontation with the Crossers - more recent arrivals from the Bering Strait - and from all manner of natural hazards. The burgeoning friendship with Akilah arouses all Jonah's generous instincts and yearning for love. Above all, he discovers personal strengths that help him get past the loss of his father, qualities and realizations that he brings back to his mother when the adventure is complete.

176 pages, Paperback

First published October 10, 2008

About the author

David Ward was born in Montreal and grew up in Vancouver. He was an elementary school teacher for eleven years before completing his master's degree. He is the author of the Grassland trilogy and is a writer and university instructor in children's literature. He lives in Portland, Oregon, with his wife and their three children.

Reviews

[American Mensa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Archipelago by David Ward is about a 12-year-old boy named Jonah and his mother who go to the Queen Charlotte islands together after Jonah’s father died rock climbing. Jonah’s mother tells Jonah that she is going to find food and make a fire and that she will be back in 10 minutes. While his mother is out, Jonah decides to explore the islands. As he starts exploring, it became very foggy out. Jonah walks right off a cliff without even knowing it! When he hits the bottom, the fog clears and he sees a mysterious girl. Jonah thinks he is unconscious. The strange girl tells Jonah that her name is Akilah and she is almost 12 years old also. Jonah still thinks he is unconscious. Akilah is from 14,000 years before Jonah’s time. Akilah accidentally took Jonah back in time with her. She is a friendly girl who seemed smart and she interested Jonah about where she came from. Akilah and Jonah find a cave and settle there. There is a canoe outside of the cave and Akilah teaches Jonah his way around this new place. It is autumn 14,000 years ago and Jonah is cold because he is still wearing the summer clothes he had on originally back in time. Akilah gives him seal skin to protect him from the cold. Akilah teaches Jonah how to survive with the limited resources they have.
The reader is often left to decide how Jonah feels about this experience, because he allows Akilah to take the lead while they are together. He seems happy that someone can encourage him to take chances learning new things.
I would give this book 4 out of 5 stars because you can’t predict this book, you have to keep reading to find out what happens. The one downfall of the book was that the setting never changed – it was always 14,000 years in the past. If you like books with time travel, then this book is for you.
Reviewed by Logan P.,11, Greater New York Mensa

[Leela · Rating 2 out of 5]

Una pedazo de decepción. Compré este libro muy emocionada hace unos meses, me esperaba una historia middle grade súper bonita, llena de aventuras y ambientada en una época de la que no hay muchos libros, como es la prehistoria. El libro me ha decepcionado muchísimo, súper aburrido, muy ilógico con las cosas que cuenta, un lenguaje muy enrevesado y complicado. La narración es en tercera persona y además el libro es súper corto, entonces realmente no conoces bien a los personajes. Había situaciones muy surrealistas, como que la madre se lo lleve con ella a trabajar (vale que el padre a muerto, pero no es excusa para llevarte a tu hijo mientras trabajas en lugares inhóspitos, no sé, contrata a alguien para que lo cuide o no te lo lleves simplemente a la acción, déjalo en el hotel o donde te estés hospedando). Todo lo que contaba sobre la época, la demostración del autor sobre todo lo que ha investigado del tema, está muy metido con calzador. Me gustó el final; la niña no está mal, el protagonista no me cayó bien pero porque no llegas a conocerlo realmente. Un despropósito de libro; tengo pendiente"Saturday, the 12 of october", que tiene la misma premisa, espero que esté mejor porque este ha sido un coñazo que he acabado porque era cortito, pero hasta ahí.