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Sunday Salon: Books Read in January, 2010

Jan31

The Sunday Salon.comFire by Kristin Cashore. Semicolon review here.

The Children of Hurin by JRR Tolkien. My birthday post for Tolkien includes thoughts about The Children of Hurin.

After the Moment by Garrett Freyman-Weyr. Semicolon mini-review here.

Going Bovine by Libba Bray. Semicolon mini-review here.

Comfort by Joyce Hostetter. Semicolon mini-review here.

The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness. Semicolon mini-review here.

The Ask and the Answer by Patrick Ness. Sequel to The Knife of Never Letting Go. However, we’re not finished yet. Resolution is yet to come. The story is not over. If you’re going to write a three-part novel, like Lord of the RIngs, then wait until you’ve finished all three parts to publish it. Do you hear me, Mr. Ness? Ms. Collins?

Liar by Justine Larbalestier. Semicolon review here.

What I Saw and How I Lied by Judy Blundell. Semicolon review here.

Marcelo in the Real World by Francisco X. Stork. Semicolon review here.

Magic Under Glass by Jaclyn Dolamore. The huge cover controversy has made it almost impossible to talk about the book in terms of its own merits or demerits. I”ll try to do so in a future review.

Hidden Voices by Pat Lowery Collins. The premise was promising: Antonio Vivaldi “wrote countless concertos to showcase the talents of orphan girls at a Catholic school in Venice.” Hidden Voices tells the intertwined fictional stories of three of those orphan girls. Unfortunately, the book starts out very slowly, and when about halfway through it finally starts to get interesting, the reader is suddenly confronted with a scene of graphic sexual violence (rape). The story goes downhill from there. And you don’t really learn much about Vivaldi either.

Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen.

Forest Born by Shannon Hale.

Flygirl by Sherri L. Smith. Semicolon review here.

Await Your Reply by Dan Chaon.

Esther: A Woman of Strength and Dignity by Charles R. Swindoll. Thoughts on this book and on the book of Esther in the Bible here.

11 Birthdays by Wendy Mass.

Umbrella Summer by Lisa Graff. I’ll write about these last two children’s fiction books soon. However, If I’d read them sooner they would both have been on my list of best middle grade fiction of 2009.

Semicolon Book Club: Esther by Chuck Swindoll

Jan30

This post necessarily combines thoughts about the book of Esther in the Bible and about Chuck Swindoll’s commentary on Esther, titled Esther: A Woman of Strength and Dignity. Mr. Swindoll’s book is the January selection for the Semicolon Book Club, and I chose it because the women of my church will be discussing and studying the book of Esther in early March at our yearly women’s retreat.

The first observation I read in any commentary, Bible study guide, or study of the book of Esther I picked up was that Esther is the only book in the Bible that never mentions God.

Ray Stedman (quoted in Swindoll’s Esther): “For many this little book is a puzzle, for it seems to be out of place in the Bible. There is no mention in it of the name of God; there is no reference to worship or faith; there is no prediction of the Messiah;there is no mention of heaven or hell–in short, there is nothing religious about it, at least on the surface.”

Matthew Henry (also quoted in Swindoll’s book): “But though the name of God be not in it, the finger of God is directing many minute events for the bringing about of His people’s deliverance.”

Swindoll: “When I come to this book that never mentions God, I see Him all the more profoundly and eloquently portrayed throughout it. It’s there in invisible ink. Just like life. I’ve never seen skywriting that says, ‘I’m here, Chuck. You can count on me.’ I’ve never heard an audible voice in the middle of the night reassuring me, ‘I’m here, My son.’ But by faith I see Him, and inaudibly I hear Him on a regular basis, reading Him written in the events of my life–whether it be the crushing blows that drive me to my knees or the joyous triumphs that send my heart winging.”

It’s probably not an original thought with me, but one of the things this “God-in-the-background”, God as the Silent Orchestrator of all things, made me think of was the writing of fiction by Christian authors. Why wouldn’t the book of Esther be a wonderful model for Christians who write fiction?

I’m not saying that the book of Esther is a fictional account. I believe it’s true history. I also see the hand of God very clearly in the events that are recounted in Esther. However, the human author of Esther felt no need to point out to his readers that God was the one who moved the heart of King Xerxes to love and listen to Esther, that it was God who preserved the Jewish people from annihilation by their enemies by manipulating events and moving people to do His will. And yet it’s so obvious. God is the main character in the book of Esther without his ever being named.

Wouldn’t it be a challenge to a Christian author to see if one could write a God-permeated book without ever mentioning God or prayer or worship or faith? Even better, what about a book filled with the teaching and person of Jesus that never tells the reader exactly what to think and what words to use and how to define Jesus’ presence in the world?

I’m not talking about a book with some vague new-age spirituality. I just wonder if a book that presented the gospel of Jesus Christ without ever telling the reader exactly what it was doing and what to think about it might be more of a paradigm shifter than a book that preaches explicitly. Fantasy can do something like this if it’s done skillfully (Tolkien, C.S.Lewis), but I believe it can be done with regular realistic fiction, too. I just don’t know of very many Christian authors who are writing that kind of book.

So Esther made me think about how we write and read and present stories. It also made me think about how God works in our wold and how often we can miss His presence if we’re not looking with eyes of faith. God is at work all of the time. But we don’t always have eyes to see or ears to hear. I have people I’m praying for who seem as lost as they’ve ever been, in whose lives I see nothing of God’s hand. That doesn’t mean that God isn’t at work. But it may be a while before I can see it. I may never see the complete picture this side of heaven. Esther may not have had any idea that God was at work in her elevation to the position of queen. But He was.

Key passage from the book of Esther: Esther 4:12-16

When Esther’s words were reported to Mordecai, he sent back this answer: “Do not think that because you are in the king’s house you alone of all the Jews will escape. For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?”

Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: “Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my maids will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.”

Where has God placed you for just such a time as this? What is He calling you to do?

Soundtrack for the Book of Esther

Jan27

I’ve been reading and studying the book of Esther all month. Here are a few songs that go well with the themes of Esther: courage, trust, God’s sovereignty, our willing obedience.

God of Grace and God of Glory by Harry Emerson Fosdick. Grant us the wisdom of a Mordecai and the courage of an Esther.

God Moves in a Mysterious Way by William Cowper. God is always at work behind the scenes. “He fashions all his bright designs and works his sovereign will.”
Listen to song sample at Sovereign Grace Ministries.

Oh, God Our Help in Ages Past by Isaac Watts. Tune by Hannah Jackson. “Under the shadow of Thy throne, thy saints have dwelt secure; sufficient is Thine arm alone, and our defense is sure.”

Leaning on the Everlasting Arms by Elisha Hoffman. We’re safe and secure from all alarms, leaning on His everlasting arms.

Be Still, My Soul by Katharina von Schlegel. “Thy God doth undertake to guide the future as He has the past.”

What songs would you suggest to go along with the themes in the book of Esther?

Sunday Salon: Gleaned from the Saturday Review

Jan24

The Sunday Salon.comGhost Writer by Rene Gutteridge. Reviewed by Word Lily. This mystery sounds intriguing.

Franklin and Winston: An Intimate Portrait of an Epic Friendship by John Meacham. Reviewed by Carrie at Reading to Know. I really already had this one on my radar, but Carrie reminded me that I want to read it. Winston Churchill, whatever you may think of his politics, was a fascinating man, and the same could be said of FDR.

Searching for Pemberly by Mary Lydon Simonsen. Reviewed at Diary of an Eccentric. This Jane Austen spin-off is set in England just after WW 2. The reviewer, Anna, makes it sound a cut above the recent spate of Jane Austen rewrites and sequels.

The Name of This Book Is Secret by Pseudonymous Bosch. Jennifer at 5 Minutes for Books gave this one to daughter Amanda, and it was a hit. I saw Mr. Bosch, sort of in disguise, at the Texas Book Festival, and I’ve been wanting to read this book ever since. Some of the kids at the festival were real fans.

Murder on the Cliffs by Joanna Challis. Reviewed at S. Krishna’s Books. Daphne du Maurier investigates a murder in a setting reminiscent of Rebecca. If it’s done well, this concept could be amazing.

The Confederate General Rides North by Amanda Gable. Recommended at A Bookshelf Monstrosity.

Island of the World by Michael O’Brien. Laura says it’s a “best book ever.”

By the way, the linky for the Saturday Review got messed up yesterday, and I lost the first 50 or so links that were left on Friday night and Saturday morning. If you left yours and it’s gone now, please re-link for the benefit of all of us.

And the Winners Are . . .

Jan18

Newbery Medal
When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead. Semicolon review here.

Newbery Honor Books:
Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice by Phillip Hoose.
The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kelly. Semicolon review here.
Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin.
The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg by Rodman Philbrick.

Caldecott Medal
The Lion and the Mouse by Jerry Pinkney.

Caldecott Honor Books:
All the World by Liz Garton Scanlon. Illustrated by Marla Frazee.
Red Sings from Treetops by Joyce SIdman. Illustrated by Pamela Zagarenski.

Sibert Medal
Almost Astronauts: 13 Women Who Dared to Dream by Tanya Lee Stone.

Sibert Honor Books:
The Day-Glo Brothers by Chris Barton. Semicolon review here.
Moonshot: The Flight of Apollo 11 by Brian Floca.
Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice by Phillip Hoose.

Printz
Going Bovine by Libba Bray. My thoughts, mostly negative.

Printz Honor Books:
Charles and Emma: The Darwins’ Leap of Faith by Deborah Heiligman.
The Monstrumologist by Richard Yancey.
Punkzilla by Adam Rapp.
Tales from the Madman Underground: An Historical Romance 1973 by John Barnes.

My two favorites, Anything But Typical and Marcelo in the Real World won the Schneider Family Book Award for books that embody an artistic expression of the disability experience. Too bad, but better than nothing, I guess.

Semicolon Book Club: Off to a Slow but Steady Start

Jan17

I’ve been trying to get a book club going, both online and in person, for a couple of years now. Last year I got people committed and chose books for each month, and then stuff happened. January and February went fairly well, and then March got crazy, and in April my dad died. Then sometime in May or June I lost all of the information on my computer, and when I got it back, it didn’t include the email addresses and the list of book club participants. And things went downhill from there.

However, although I may not be consistent, I am persistent. So I’m ready to start over again. If you would like to participate in the Semicolon Book Club, here are the possibilities for 2010. We’ll be discussing the books here at the blog Semicolon on the dates indicated. We also may meet at my house for tea and discussion, if I get any takers who live here in Houston. If you want to read with us, email me (sherryDOTearlyATgmailDOTcom) with your choices for books in the months that have more than one book listed. I’ll tabulate the votes, and get back to you with the final list based on what people choose.

Then, on the dates indicated, I’ll have a post (with Linky) where you can leave comments and links to your thoughts, and where you can read what I have to say about the book of the month. I’m looking forward to it.

January: Nonfictional inspirational
Discussion date: Saturday, January 30, 2010
Esther by Chuck Swindoll. Everyone loves a transforming story. Rags to riches. Plain to beautiful. Weak to strong. Esther’s story is that, and much more. It is a thought-provoking study of God’s invisible hand, writing silently across the pages of human history. Perhaps most of all, it is an account of a godly woman with the courage, wisdom, and strength to block an evil plot, overthrow an arrogant killer, and replace tragedy with joy in thousands of Jewish homes. Through Esther’s courageous struggle to help her people, Swindoll explains the power of divine providence in volume 2 of the best-selling “Great Lives” series. (Publisher’s blurb)

February: Christian classic novels
Discussion date: February 27, 2010
The Power and the Glory by Graham Greene. Graham Greene explores corruption and atonement through a priest and the people he encounters. In the 1930s one Mexican state has outlawed the Church, naming it a source of greed and debauchery. The priests have been rounded up and shot by firing squad–save one, the whisky priest. On the run, and in a blur of alcohol and fear, this outlaw meets a dentist, a banana farmer, and a village woman he knew six years earlier. Always, an adamant lieutenant is only a few hours behind, determined to liberate his country from the evils of the church.
OR
Till We Have Faces by C.S. Lewis. This tale of two princesses – one beautiful and one unattractive – and of the struggle between sacred and profane love is Lewis’s reworking of the myth of Cupid and Psyche and one of his most enduring works.

March: Biography/History
Discussion date: March 27, 2010
Mornings on Horseback by David McCullough. A biography of Teddy Roosevelt.
OR
The Raven by Marquis James. A biography of Sam Houston.
OR
Louisa May Alcott: The Woman Behind Little Women by Harriet Reisen.

April: Poetry Month
All poems are about God, love or depression. ~Susan Wise Bauer in The Well-Educated Mind.
Discussion date: May 1, 2010
Paradise Lost by John Milton. “Recommended edition: The Signet Classic paperback, Paradise Lost and Paradise Regained, edited by Christopher Ricks. (New York: Signet Books, 1968, $7.95) This edition has explanatory footnotes at the bottom of each page. These are extremely helpful since Milton uses archaic expressions and hundreds of obscure classical references.” (SWB, The Well-Trained Mind) Paradise Lost is Milton’s retelling of the story in Genesis 1-3 of the Creation and the Fall.
(We were supposed to read this poem in 2009, but I didn’t do it. This year I am determined.)

May: YA or Children’s award winner
Discussion date: May 29, 2010
Wait and see what books win the Newbery and Printz awards and honor books this year. Announcement is January 18th.

June: Chunky Classics
Discussion date: June 26, 2010
Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe. “The Life and Strange Surprizing Adventures of Robinson Crusoe of York, Mariner: Who lived Eight and Twenty Years, all alone in an un-inhabited Island on the coast of America, near the Mouth of the Great River of Oroonoque; Having been cast on Shore by Shipwreck, where-in all the Men perished but himself. With An Account how he was at last as strangely deliver’d by Pyrates. Written by Himself.”
OR
The Hunchback of Notre Dame by Victor Hugo. Though he was gentle and kind, it was Quasimodo’s crime to have been born hideously deformed. But one day his heart would prove to be a thing of rare beauty. His inspiration was Esmerelda. The victim of a coward’s jealous rage, she is unjustly convicted of a crime she didn’t commit. Her sentence is death by hanging. Only one man can save her–Quasimodo.

July: Just for Fun and Adventure
Discussion date: July 31, 2010
Goodbye Mr. Chips by James Hilton. The novel tells the story of a schoolteacher and his long tenure at Brookfield, a fictional boys’ public boarding school. Mr. Chipping eventually conquers his inability to connect with his students, as well as his initial shyness and becomes an inspirational and much-beloved teacher.
OR
Miss Buncle’s Book by D. E. Stevenson. Barbara Buncle, a spinster in her mid 30s lives in the small and close-knit English village of Silverstream. Finding herself in need of a new source of income, Miss Buncle, passes over the idea of raising chickens or taking in borders and instead writes a novel.

August: Shakespeare play
Discussion date: August 28, 2010
Twelfth Night. (comedy) To be performed at Shakespeare at Winedale in August 2010.
OR
Hamlet (tragedy that we were supposed to read in 2009, but didn’t)

September: Prize winning adult novels
Discussion date: October 2, 2010
Angle of Repose by Wallace Stegner. Lyman Ward, a retired history professor and writer, returns to his grandparent’s home in Grass Valley, California – wheelchair bound and facing a progressive, crippling bone disease. His intent is to research his grandmother’s life through the news clippings and letters of her past. To write her story, Ward must fill in gaps, imagine conversations, and uncover the truths which lie hidden in Susan Burling Ward’s history. During this one hot, dry summer in a quest to know his grandmother, he will discover the meaning beneath the shadows of his own life.
OR
As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner. The book is told in stream of consciousness writing style by 15 different narrators in 59 chapters. It is the story of the death of Addie Bundren and her family’s quest—noble or selfish—to honor her wish to be buried in the town of Jefferson.

October: Love to Laugh
Discussion date: October 30, 2010
Scoop by Evelyn Waugh. Scoop is a comedy of England’s newspaper business of the 1930s and the story of William Boot, a innocent hick from the country who writes careful essays about the habits of the badger. Through a series of accidents and mistaken identity, Boot is hired as a war correspondent for a Fleet Street newspaper. The uncomprehending Boot is sent to the fictional African country of Ishmaelia to cover an expected revolution. Although he has no idea what he is doing and he can’t understand the incomprehensible telegrams from his London editors, Boot eventually gets the big story.
(Supposed to have been read in October 2009)

November: Love to Think
Discussion date: November 27, 2010
Home Economics by Wendell Berry – A warning against the biases of free market capitalism and an exhortation to home economy.
OR
The Great Emergence: How Christianity Is Changing and Why by Phyllis Tickle. “’The Great Emergence’ refers to a monumental phenomenon in our world, and this book asks three questions about it. Or looked at the other way around, this book is about a monumental phenomenon considered from the perspective of three very basic questions: What is this thing? How did it come to be? Where is it going?”
OR
Mudhouse Sabbath by Lauren Winner. Winner, who wrote about her conversion to Christianity in 2002’s acclaimed memoir Girl Meets God, draws on the Orthodox Jewish rituals that shaped her young adult life to rediscover the richness of those customs in her life as a Christian today. Through her personal reflections on 11 spiritual practices, including keeping the Sabbath, prayer, fasting and candle-lighting, Winner illuminates the profound cultural and religious significance of each practice within the Jewish community and modifies those practices to enrich the lives of Christians

Sunday Salon: Looking Forward To . . More Books

Jan17

The Sunday Salon.comThe Last Summer of the Death Warriors by Francisco X. Stork, coming March 1, 2010 from Arthur A. Levine Books. Brought to my attention by Mitali at Mitali’s Fire Escape.

The Crossing Places by Elly Griffiths. Recommended by Caite. A mystery, first in a series, set in England, sounds sort of P.D.James-ian. I’m in.

The Ever-Breath by Julianna Baggott. Recommended by Melissa of the Bonny Glen.

Agatha Christie’s Secret Notebooks by John Curran. Reviewed by Fleurfisher. Due to be published in February, 2010.

The Unbearable Lightness of Scones by Alexander McCall Smith. Publication date: January 12, 2010. I generally like anything Mr. McCall Smith writes.

The Book of Fires by Jane Borodale. This debut novel just looks interesting: mid-eighteenth century London, a fireworks factory, a hidden and illegitimate pregnancy, comparisons to Jane Eyre and A Year of Wonders.

Tea with Hezbollah: Sitting at the Enemies Table Our Journey Through the Middle East by Ted Dekker and Carl Medearis. Publication date: January 26, 2010. Sounds fascinating. “Through powerful narrative Tea With Hezbollah will draw the West into a completely fresh understanding of those we call our enemies and the teaching that dares us to love them. A must read for all who see the looming threat rising in the Middle East.”

Heist Society by Ally Carter. Publication date: February 9, 2010. Katarina Bishop is an ex-con artist from a family of thieves, pulled back into a life of crime by the need to protect her father. This book is the first in a new series by the author of the Gallagher Girls books.

Keeping the Feast by Paula Butterini. Publication date: February 18, 2010. A memoir set in modern-day Europe about a couple of journalists who marry and then have to deal with injury and loss.

The History of the Medieval World: From the Conversion of Constantine to the First Crusade by Susan Wise Bauer. Publication date: February 22, 2010. I probably won’t read this one straight through, but rather I’ll enjoying browsing and reading bits and pieces and using it as a reference book. However, it’s one that I am looking forward to in particular.

Epitaph Road by David Patneaude (Egmont, March 2010). Summary from ARC: In 2067, an airborne virus wiped out 97 percent of the male population. Thirty years later, women rule the world and have ushered in a new golden age on Earth. Poverty, crime, war, and hunger have all disappeared. Growing up in this utopia, fourteen-year-old Kellen Dent feels isolated as one of the few males alive. When a rumored outbreak of the virus threatens Kellen’s outcast father, he knows that he must warn him of the coming danger. During his desperate race to find his dad, Kellen uncovers a secret so frightening that his life and the future of the world will never be the same. Found at the blog of Abby the Librarian.

This Body of Death: An Inspector Lynley Novel by Elizabeth George. Publication date: April 20, 2010.

The Double Comfort Safari Club by Alexander McCall Smith. Publication date: April 20, 2010.

Clementine, Friend of the Week by Sara Pennypacker. Publication date: July 27, 2010.

The as-yet-untitled third book in the Hunger Games series (available August 24, 2010).

They Never Came Back by Caroline B. Cooney. Recommended by Jen Robinson.

I’ve found these hither and thither as I’ve been reading blogs. Thanks to those who have recommended these my TBR list is even longer than it was before.

Poetry Friday: Christ in the Universe by Alice Meynell

Jan15

I found this lovely poem via Elliot at Claw of the Conciliator:

WITH this ambiguous earth
His dealings have been told us. These abide:
The signal to a maid, the human birth,
The lesson, and the young Man crucified.

But not a star of all
The innumerable host of stars has heard
How He administered this terrestrial ball.
Our race have kept their Lord’s entrusted Word.

Of His earth-visiting feet
None knows the secret, cherished, perilous,
The terrible, shamefast, frightened, whispered, sweet,
Heart-shattering secret of His way with us.

No planet knows that this
Our wayside planet, carrying land and wave,
Love and life multiplied, and pain and bliss,
Bears, as chief treasure, one forsaken grave.

Nor, in our little day,
May His devices with the heavens be guessed,
His pilgrimage to thread the Milky Way
Or His bestowals there be manifest.

But in the eternities,
Doubtless we shall compare together, hear
A million alien Gospels, in what guise
He trod the Pleiades, the Lyre, the Bear.

O, be prepared, my soul!
To read the inconceivable, to scan
The myriad forms of God those stars unroll
When, in our turn, we show to them a Man.

He is, indeed, much Bigger than our minds have yet conceived, and at the same time He “became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14)

Great Kid Books is the blog host for Poetry Friday this week.

Semicolon’s 12 Best Middle Grade Fiction Books of 2009 plus Newbery Predictions

Jan14

1. Anything But Typical by Nora Raleigh Baskin. Semicolon review here.
2. Dani Noir by Nova Ren Suma. Semicolon review here.
3. Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg by Rodman Philbrick.
4. Heart of a Shepherd by Roseanne Parry. Semicolon review here.
5. William S. and the Great Escape by Zilpha Keatley Snyder. Semicolon review here.
6. Leaving the Bellweathers by Kristin Clark Venuti.
7. Bull Rider by Suzanne Morgan Williams. Semicolon review here.
8. When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead. Semicolon review here.
9. Any Which Wall by Laurel Snyder. Semicolon review here.
10. Black Angels by Linda Beatrice Brown. Semicolon review here.
11. Born to Fly by Michael Ferrari. Semicolon review here.
12. The Girl Who Threw Butterflies by Mich Cochrane. Semicolon review here.

What I Want to Win the Newbery (tba on Monday, January 18th):
Any of the above, but Heart of a Shepherd or Anything But Typical or Any Which Wall would please me to no end.

My Prediction for the Newbery Award and honor books:
The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kelly. Semicolon review here.
Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice by Phillip Hoose.
When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead.
I predict that one of those three will win the Newbery with the other two as honor books.

I’m not very good at this predicting thing, though. Last year, I tried to read The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman twice and never did make it through the entire book.

Texas Tuesday: Wait for Me, Watch for Me, Eula Bee by Patricia Beatty

Jan12

My Texas history class at homeschool co-op read this novel over the holidays. Patricia Beatty wrote over fifty books of historical fiction, and every one of them that I’ve read is a winner. Wait for Me, Watch for Me, Eula Bee is no exception.

Our hero is Lewallen, age thirteen, who’s been left to be the man of the house (and farm) when his older brother and father go off to fight for the Confederacy. Lewallen Collier has a younger brother and a little sister, Eula Bee. Because most of the men have gone to war, the Comanches have become more daring in their raids on farms and ranches, and Lewallen’s family is invited to shelter in the local fort and come back to their farm when the Indians have settled down or when the men have come back. Unfortunately for them, the Collier family make the wrong decision, and they fall victim to a band of Comanches who take Lewallen and Eula Bee captive and kill the rest of the family. (Warning: this scene in the book is fairly violent, not for squeamish readers.)

As a captive of the Comanche, Lewallen learns to work harder than he’s ever worked before, ride a horse like a Comanche, and hunt buffalo. He eventually escapes, but he spends the remainder of the book trying to rescue Eula Bee, for whom he feels a great sense of responsibility. In the course of his adventures, Lewallen saves the life of an Indian chief, becomes friends with the comancheros (Indian traders), and confronts the Kiowa brave who killed some of his family. The question throughout is whether or not Eula Bee will remember Lewallen if he ever finds her again.

The depictions of Comanche life and of Texas frontier life are vivid and memorable. Lewallen is a tough kid who has to grow up fast. And some of the minor characters are well-drawn, too, such as Grass Woman, a captive who has become one of The People (Comanche) and no longer wants to go back to the white man’s ways.

I was particularly struck by the family loyalty that Lewallen showed as he searched for his sister. I wonder if I would have that kind of stamina and faithfulness, or if my kids would.

If you’re teaching this book, here are a couple of links for materials:
Vocabulary quiz for Wait for Me, Watch for Me, Eula Bee

Other Indian captive books:
Trouble’s Daughter: The Story of Susanna Hutchinson, Indian Captive by Katherine Kirkpatrick. Susanna, daughter of the famous dissenter, Anne Hutchinson, is captured by the Lenape after the massacre of her entire family.She draws strength from the memory of her famous, strong-willed mother, but she finds herself becoming more and more admiring of the Lenape women she comes to know.
I am Regina by Sally M. Keehn. When Regina is captured by the Indians, she repeats her name to herself to remeind herself of her identity. However, after eight years of living with the Indians, all she knows is her Indian name. Based on the true story of Regina Leininger, Pennsylvania, 1755.
The Ransom of Mercy Carter by Caroline Cooney. 11 year old Mercy is taken captive by the Mohawks during the French and Indian War in 1704. Mercy also becomes accustomed to Indian life and may not want to go back when the opportunity arises. Study guide for this book.
Indian Captive: The Story of Mary Jemison by Lois Lenski. 12 year old Mary is captured by the Seneca, based on a true story of a girl by the same name taken by the Indians in New York in 1758. Mary first becomes Corn Tassel, then later gets a new name, Woman of Great Courage. Discussion guide.
Standing in the Light: The Captive Diary of Catharine Carey Logan, Delaware Valley, Pennsylvania, 1763 by Mary Pope Osborne. Part of the Dear America series. Quaker children Caty Logan and her brother are also captured by the Lenape, and although they eventually return to their home, Caty feels estranged from her family and misses Indian life.
Where the Broken Heart Still Beats: The Story of Cynthia Ann Parker by Caroline Meyer. Cynthia Ann Parker was ckidnapped by the Comanche, married a Comanche leader, had three children, and was then kidnapped back by Texas Rangers in this story based on a true incident.
Captive Treasure by Milly Howard. In a sudden encounter on the trail with a Cheyenne raiding party, Carrie Talbot is taken off to a new life in the Cheyenne camp along the river.
The Raid by G. Clifton Wisler. When his little brother is carried off by raiding Comanches, fourteen-year-old Lige disguises himself as an Indian and joins a former slave in a bold rescue attempt.