Nick & Slim: The Legend of the Falcon Mine

by Pamela L. V. Henn

In a new home, a new town, and a new school, Nick feels more alone than ever. His father has buried himself in his job, and his mother isn’t around to help. It seems like things can’t get much worse, but then his class goes on a field trip to the Silverado Ghost Town. With no friends to vouch for him, Nick is framed for stealing a museum artifact—the journal of the notorious Slim Marano, who was hanged for murder more than 100 years ago. Just when he’s sure that no one will believe him, Nick comes face-to-face with Slim’s spirit and discovers that they have something in common—they were both set up. Soon Nick is traveling through time to the Old West to help Slim prove his innocence. Working with Slim’s band of friends, both spirits and mortals, they unearth a conspiracy of vengeance, greed, and murder fueled by dark forces. With danger building and time running out, Nick must discover the truth to save innocent lives—and change his own forever.

472 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2006

Reviews

[Amanda W · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was one of my favorite books when I was a teenager, and I recently bought a used copy and reread it - I honestly still love it!

[Pamela Henn]

The Birth of a New Classic, February 7, 2007


The Birth of a New Classic
Nick and Slim: The Legend of the Falcon Mine

By Samantha Roberts January 30, 2007 [...:]

From the moment I picked up the book, I felt like I was a character in Nick and Slim: The Legend of the Falcon Mine. Every chapter revealed new plot twists and villains, and left me eager to find out what happens next. Even the author, Pamela Henn, said she experienced the same sense of surprise while she was writing the book.

"I didn't know who the villain was until the last couple chapters revealed who made the most sense to be the villain," Henn told me. "That was kind of the fun part of this whole project."

Just when I would start to guess where the story was headed, the storyline would change and draw me further into the adventure.

Nick and Slim is the story of Nick Stewart, whose life undergoes a series of tragic changes. His mother dies when he is 11 years old. His dad Lee then moves them to Colorado where he gets a job teaching anthropology. Nick finds himself in a new school trying to deal with his grief and a work-obsessed father.

On a school trip to the ghost town Silverado, he runs into more trouble. The field trip is part of a school assignment. He has to investigate the murder of Otis Watkins and the hanging of Slim Marano, who was wrongly accused of committing the crime.

Nick notices that the glass in a display case is broken. Before he can react, some of the school bullies beat him up. The bullies had stolen Slim Marano's journal--"the one piece of circumstantial evidence that had convicted Slim"--and slipped it into Nick's pocket. Nick finds himself not only trying to clear Slim Marano's name, but also trying to clear his own.

Later, Nick meets the spirit of Slim Marano, who takes him back in time to help him unravel the mystery and stop Slim's hanging. Slim's ghostly friends Michael, Keenan, and Christopher join in, and they begin on an adventure that uncovers a lot more than they ever expected.

The story of Nick and Slim grew out of a challenge to the author from a friend. Henn was an animation artist for Walt Disney. She worked on The Little Mermaid, Roger Rabbit shorts, Mickey Mouse shorts, Pocahontas, and The Legend of Mulan. She was also the model for Belle in Beauty and the Beast. After 20 years, she quit Disney and started her own business, White Wolf Studios. Nick and Slim is her first children's novel, which grew out of writing classes she taught at the studio.

"I'm really excited about it," Henn said. "I love history, and I use history as the template, or the background that we can lay the characters on. Slim is a ghost or a spirit. He can go anywhere, and he can take Nick anywhere or to any time, so we can explore really neat countries, cultures, and times."

I would compare Pamela Henn's story to The Chronicles of Narnia and the Harry Potter series. Silverado seemed like a town right out of the Old West. Add a kid from the 21st century and a few spirits wanting to change history, and you have a classic.

Henn is already working on a sequel, Nick and Slim: The Secret of Smuggler's Cove. A third book in the series is in development. I am certainly looking forward to them!

Samantha Roberts is a member of the Scholastic Kids Press Corps.

[Luke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pamela Henn's first novel (as huge as it may be) is a great debut, and I can't wait to see the next book in the series!

[Annika · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOVED IT!

[ChiChi Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

really good!

[Mckennah Richardson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read this book countless times and each time it is beautiful and amazing!