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The Eagle's Shadow
Sent to live with her Tlingit Native American relatives in Alaska, twelve-year-old Clearie learns to embrace her mixed heritage and helps solve a crime.
176 pages, Library Binding
First published January 1, 1997
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
August 28, 2021
Interesting book. It gives a lot of details about life and culture in a Tlingit community.
December 20, 2012
This is a kid's book which I bought at a library sale. I intended to donate it elsewhere, but after reading it, I have decided it should stay in my family for a while.
This is the story of a young girl. Her single-parent-father must go off to serve in WWII. She is sent to live with relatives she has never met. They are Tlingit Indians in a small village in the Juneau, Alaska area. This story interested me, because my husband's grandmother was a Tlingit Indian. She died before I ever met my husband, so I was not lucky enough to learn about her heritage directly from her.
The story is somewhat predictable, at least for an adult reader. Yet I enjoyed this story and think my relatives will, as well. The characters are loving and wise, and the story is sweet. I think we should keep the book in our family and share it. Eventually our youngest, my five year-old great nephew, may be interested in reading it, also.
I give it 3.5 stars.
This is the story of a young girl. Her single-parent-father must go off to serve in WWII. She is sent to live with relatives she has never met. They are Tlingit Indians in a small village in the Juneau, Alaska area. This story interested me, because my husband's grandmother was a Tlingit Indian. She died before I ever met my husband, so I was not lucky enough to learn about her heritage directly from her.
The story is somewhat predictable, at least for an adult reader. Yet I enjoyed this story and think my relatives will, as well. The characters are loving and wise, and the story is sweet. I think we should keep the book in our family and share it. Eventually our youngest, my five year-old great nephew, may be interested in reading it, also.
I give it 3.5 stars.
July 6, 2023
I wish I'd found this book at age 11, when Journey to Spirit Island was my favorite movie in the world, because I bet I would have been even more attached to it. (This isn't quite the same location or tribe, but they are similar, though there are no mystical elements to this one.)
I was surprised when I started reading and found it was set in 1946, but other than a few time period markers like her father being stationed in Japan and sending her a Brownie camera, there is so little in the way of modern convenience anyway, due to its remote location, that it feels pretty timeless.
I loved the descriptions of native crafts, the stories passed down, and Aunt Ivy's fairly palpable desperation to break the sexism chains and take over her elderly uncle's fishing business, so that he can retire. I love the friends Clearie makes at school, which has one teacher (who is also the reverend) for the 14 students from age 6-14, in a very little-house-on-the-prairie style of education.
The charm of the small village -- despite the nastiness of the profiteering store owner and his hateful son's rum-running that enables Disaster for a handful of the village residents -- is unbeatable.
And I especially loved Clearie learning to paddle, and the descriptions of the beautiful scenic locations Mark shows her around (Eagle Island!!).
It's a little silly how much she pities herself at first and convinces herself that her relatives don't want her there, even though they are CONSTANTLY welcoming her, just because her aunt complains a few times about Clearie's mother being a no-account and hateful ingrate since childhood (#accurate). But it's wonderful watching her grow and shine among her relatives here, in sharp contrast to the hints we get that her father has basically treated her like an inconvenient pet his whole life, with little emotional nurturing. This is where she finally belongs.
I was surprised when I started reading and found it was set in 1946, but other than a few time period markers like her father being stationed in Japan and sending her a Brownie camera, there is so little in the way of modern convenience anyway, due to its remote location, that it feels pretty timeless.
I loved the descriptions of native crafts, the stories passed down, and Aunt Ivy's fairly palpable desperation to break the sexism chains and take over her elderly uncle's fishing business, so that he can retire. I love the friends Clearie makes at school, which has one teacher (who is also the reverend) for the 14 students from age 6-14, in a very little-house-on-the-prairie style of education.
The charm of the small village -- despite the nastiness of the profiteering store owner and his hateful son's rum-running that enables Disaster for a handful of the village residents -- is unbeatable.
And I especially loved Clearie learning to paddle, and the descriptions of the beautiful scenic locations Mark shows her around (Eagle Island!!).
It's a little silly how much she pities herself at first and convinces herself that her relatives don't want her there, even though they are CONSTANTLY welcoming her, just because her aunt complains a few times about Clearie's mother being a no-account and hateful ingrate since childhood (#accurate). But it's wonderful watching her grow and shine among her relatives here, in sharp contrast to the hints we get that her father has basically treated her like an inconvenient pet his whole life, with little emotional nurturing. This is where she finally belongs.
July 30, 2026
This book has a lot of heavy topics for middle grade readers: racism, alcoholism, abandonment, arson. Interesting Tlingit culture references. The story is ruined when at the very beginning the FMC says, "Henry Jonee is going to jail because of me." It's an easy read if you know someone who needs a summer reading book or one for a book report/project. It's just a tad heavy, though.
November 6, 2015
The Eagle's Shadow by Nora Martin is about a 12 year old girl named Clearie who moves to Alaska because of her father joining the military. Clearie lives in Alaska with her relatives and she is surprised about Alaska. She begins to live a different lifestyle in Alaska and does activities like boating. She have realized that her new life in Alaska can be great. Clearie's life in Alaska can be both good but difficult for her.
In my opinion, this book was very interesting to me. The book talks about how Clearie's life in Alaska can be good and bad towards her. Clearie have to understand that life in Alaska isn't easy. CLearie's relatives want to take care of her, so she can live a normal life and doesn't have to move city to city because of her father. The thing that I like about the book is that when Clearie decides to help her Uncle Samuel to safe a person from a burning building. That moment have shown Clearie that she did a brave thing for saving a person's life at a young age. I have noticed that Clearie wanted to do something brave and didn't care about the consequences. Clearie wanted to show her relatives that she isn't a little girl towards them. This book helps me to understand that living in a different state or city is going to be very different. The author is trying to persuade the reader that you can go through difficult things in your life, but you can find a way to overcome it.
I would recommend this book to anyone who likes action/adventures books. This book should be given to people who goes through life changes. People who have to go to city after city and have different lives should read this book. I want young kids who are like Clearie and who going through certain situations like Clearie to read this.
In my opinion, this book was very interesting to me. The book talks about how Clearie's life in Alaska can be good and bad towards her. Clearie have to understand that life in Alaska isn't easy. CLearie's relatives want to take care of her, so she can live a normal life and doesn't have to move city to city because of her father. The thing that I like about the book is that when Clearie decides to help her Uncle Samuel to safe a person from a burning building. That moment have shown Clearie that she did a brave thing for saving a person's life at a young age. I have noticed that Clearie wanted to do something brave and didn't care about the consequences. Clearie wanted to show her relatives that she isn't a little girl towards them. This book helps me to understand that living in a different state or city is going to be very different. The author is trying to persuade the reader that you can go through difficult things in your life, but you can find a way to overcome it.
I would recommend this book to anyone who likes action/adventures books. This book should be given to people who goes through life changes. People who have to go to city after city and have different lives should read this book. I want young kids who are like Clearie and who going through certain situations like Clearie to read this.
October 3, 2013
The Eagle's shadow was awesome.I didn't want to stop reading because I wanted to know what happened to the character.The author was amazing with the book because she told that the character was having fun.For example,then without a word,I stood in the middle of the room and held the letter above my head.Everyone saw it and became quit.At last Aunt Ivy said,"well"? "he said yes"! I yelled.We all started hugging and laughing we had to sit and wipe our eyes.(pg 171)This shows that the character was having fun.This is how the book is awesome.
July 5, 2013
This is the story of a young girl called Clearie. Her single-parent-father must go off to serve in WWII. Cearie is sent to leave with some people she never seen before. They are Tlingit Indians in a village in the Juneau, Alaska area. This story is boring but when I start a book I have to finish it so I did and it was very nice. The story is somewhat predictable. And I really liked Clearie because she is the main character.
January 13, 2015
Sweet story!
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews