Between Shadows

by Kathleen Cook Waldron

It's Ari's beloved grandfather has died, but he's left Ari an amazing gift -- the inheritance of his log cabin and all the land he owned. Tucked into a small lakeside community, the cabin and its land are unusual, full of secrets to discover...and very, very marketable. With the family's money troubles, the only sensible option from his dad and aunt's point of view is to sell it at a prime price to a luxury hotel developer. As the grown-ups proceed with the paperwork, Ari sets about discovering everything his new property has to offer. Hidden beaches, forest trails, locked doors -- and even an extraordinary (and exasperating) new friend who introduces him to a world into which he sees himself just...fitting. Not only is it the perfect place to live, it's a connection with his grandfather that is too precious to lose. But the deadline to sign away the property is approaching. How can Ari speak up for his hopes, for his grandfather, and for the land itself?

110 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 1, 2015

Reviews

[Kasey Giard · Rating 5 out of 5]

When his grandfather dies unexpectedly, Ari and his remaining family gather at the cabin deep in the woods. At the reading of the will, another surprise greets Ari, his dad and his aunt: Grandpa left the cabin and all his land to Ari. Uninterested in the remote property that conjures painful memories, Ari’s dad and aunt make plans to sell everything. Ari is determined to change their minds.

Author Kathleen Cook Waldron brings to the story her own experience living in the bush. The details of the cabin and surrounding land and community are told in vivid detail so that even the most urban readers can perfectly picture the serene woods, playful stream and peaceful lake.

Through Waldron’s clean storytelling, we follow a grieving family as they wrestle with loss. I loved how each member of Ari’s family reconnected with his grandfather through the experience of staying at the cabin. Though he’s no longer present, his love for his family is so clear in the things he left behind. Each character discovers and responds to these unwritten love letters from their father or grandfather. In these moments, Waldron’s writing is moving, subtle and clever.

This is a great story about the opportunity grieving families have to rediscover their lost loved one and renew relationships with one another. The rustic setting gently reminds us to consider what’s really important.

[Camila]

It's been a long time since I read this, and even though the story was pretty basic, I enjoyed it when I was younger, especially the friendship the protagonist found and the descriptions.

[Jo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this book..It's set in Canada and features a 12 year old who inherits his grandfather's land and cabin, much to the dismay of his father and aunt. The characters are authentic and the story line believable. Great read for kids ages 8+

[AbsentLibrarian · Rating 3 out of 5]

A sometimes sad, but overall uplifting story about a boy who finds himself and his place in the family, as well as a way to make his voice heard.

[Paula · Rating 2 out of 5]

For realistic fiction, too much about this story just was not real. For a smart kid, Ari certainly got a lame dad and aunt. Character development needed!

[Reshiram-zekrom · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a good book but it could've been better.

[Michaela · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is called Between Shadows written by Kathleen Cook-Waldron. I would rate the book three and a half stars. I rated it that because it was a nice book and it reminded me of the book Hatchet by Gary Paulsen, but the author should’ve added more information on Ari’s mother’s death. My favorite part of the book is when (SPOIL ALERT DO NOT READ UNLESS YOU WANT TO KNOW) Ari, his aunt and father found out that Mr. Wagner was a fraud, and tried to scam them. The setting is a rainbow cabin in Canoe Lake. The time might be present. The protagonist is Ari, the Antagonist is Mr. Wagner the fake realtor. In the beginning (SPOILER ALERT DO NOT READ UNLESS YOU WANT TO KNOW) Ari was a shy boy who used to live in Toronto, but his mom and grandfather recently died. Ari is a twelve year old boy who now owns that was old, and he is very nice to his friends. Mr. Wagner is a successful scammer, he tries to scam the families he thinks is weak and gullible. He rides a truck with his fake company. The company name is Mountain Properties.He uses fake companies to make his business look real. The theme of this book is not to trust everyone you see. That’s the theme because if you trust everyone so quickly, you never know what they’ll do. If I were to be a character in this book it’ll be Ari because, I would like to know how it feels to own a piece of land and having so much people appreciating you and giving their respects to your grandfather. I liked this book because at the end of each chapter, there was usually cliffhangers and to know what happened next you would need to read the next chapter. That kept me reading. Overall this is a great book and recommend you read it if you like cliffhangers.