Middle-grade readers who love a good adventure will be turning pages eagerly in this new novel blending historical fiction with a survival story. Jewish kids who liked Elizabeth Speare’s popular “The Sign of the Beaver” will discover a bit of their own heritage while delving into the very modern issues of diversity and acceptance of differences.
Miguel Abrano and his family are ranchers in Arizona territory near Tucson in 1872. He is a devoted Catholic, considering a career in the priesthood, and impatiently awaiting his 13th birthday so he can be allowed more adult privileges. After an “Israelite” peddler visits his home (at a Friday night dinner when his mother bakes her usual challah and lights candles at a festive meal), he discovers to his dismay that he is a descended from Converso Jews who fled the Inquisition.This revelation sets in motion a panicked flight from his home into the unforgiving desert on a borrowed horse.
He promptly loses his way and is captured by a band of Apaches, who do not treat him well. When hope is almost lost, he is rescued by a friendly member of the Tohono O’odham tribe who is running away from an American mission school. A lot of danger, adventure and eye-opening scenes are included. Scorpion bites, rattlesnake and horsemeat consumption, American Indian survival tips and a literal “cliff-hanger” keep the narrative moving at a fast pace.There are more than a few (age-appropriate) descriptions of cruelty, both from American troops toward the Tohono O’odham boy and from the tribal men toward their white captive.
The author has created a realistic youth in transition. His wilderness experience sets him on a path to question his stringent beliefs that the “truth” can only been seen through the eyes of the church. As he learns that kindness toward others with varying beliefs is more important than forced adherence to both intolerant church and unfair government policies, he reconciles his past heritage with the type of man he wants to become. --Lisa Silverman, Director, Burton Sperber Jewish Community Library, Jewish Journal. Retrieved from: https://jewishjournal.com/culture/books/304911/for-kids-a-few-good-books-for-a-good-year/