The King’s Shadow

Description
Evyn, a young Welsh serf, dreams of becoming a storyteller. But in a cruel turn of events, he and his father are attacked by murderous ruffians. Evyn is maimed and his father is killed. Then, orphaned and unable to speak, Evyn is betrayed by his reckless uncle.  

Through the help of Ealdgyth Swan Neck, Evyn learns to read and write. Before long, he becomes squire to the charismatic Earl Harold of Wessex, who is soon crowned King of England. Evyn's greatest test comes in 1066, by the King's side at The Battle of Hastings, where the fate of the country is decided.

Review
Eleventh-century Britain is the background for Alder’s finely written account of a slave who becomes the chronicler of Harold, last of the Saxon kings…Alder’s vivid descriptions of the harsh conditions and customs of medieval life make the story come alive, and her brisk pacing never wavers. (Booklist)

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Crossing the Panther's Path

Description
This is The War of 1812 as rarely seen. The young hero of Crossing the Panther’s Path, based on the real Billy Caldwell, is the son of a Mohawk mother and an Irish father in the British army. Taught by the French Black Robes at Detroit and befriended by a Potawatomi warrior, Billy becomes a gifted linguist. Soon, he finds himself in the midst of a tremendous struggle as he joins Tecumseh, the brilliant Shawnee general determined to save Native American homelands.

Review
Such historical aspects are so well woven into the text that they are at once unnoticed and accepted as part of the story and how things were at the time. Libraries should have copies of the novel to share with the many readers who will enjoy it. (School Library Journal)

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