Review by James Edwards -- Strong Heart by Charlie Sheldon

[James Edwards]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Strong Heart" by Charlie Sheldon.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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Strong Heart by Charlie Sheldon focuses on a thirteen-year-old who appears at her grandfather’s doorstep unexpectedly. He had no idea of her existence. He was preparing for a hiking and camping trip with his friends to the gravesite of his grandfather. They decide to bring Sarah, hoping a trip into nature will calm her behavior. Little did they know, they would learn more from her than the other way around.

Sarah’s adventure begins with a deep fall into a cave that represented a fall back to a time where very few humans survived the earth. She is captured by natives who trade girls to a group looking for wives. This group comes from far away, bringing special stones only found in their region. With these stones, they make deadly sharp spears that help them survive the long journey and hostile terrain. Sarah also learns how to read the weather, tides, and winds.

When Sarah returns to the present, she reveals her story about Indian legends, customs, and traditions from long ago. The group uses the lessons learned from her to survive attacks from nature and its inhabitants, some who will stop at nothing to develop and mine the area.

I liked the story that Sarah told of the sharp stone people from long ago. It is fascinating how much knowledge was needed to survive and yet how primitive and helpless they were to the forces of nature. I enjoyed reading about the bear attacks and how the people defended themselves. The use of scout teams, lookouts, and weapons. I also liked reading how they learned to travel using the watercraft they made. They followed waterways that had rest areas. It was interesting to see how the bears, seals, and salmon all played a part in survival.

I disliked the difficulty in following the story as it transitioned from past to present. It was hard to tell reality from dreams. Sarah’s story was distorted unless I related it to a dream. Even if I relate it to a dream, the story is not fully explained.

I rate Strong Heart 3 out of 4 stars. The book was very intriguing and unique. The description of the earth and wilderness of the era was most interesting. The author ties the past to the present in the struggles that Tom and his friends face during their hike through the park and the struggles the stone people faced on their journey long ago.

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Strong Heart
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