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Overview
It is 1760, and Lord MacNeil decides that the way to make a man of his 13-year-old son, John, is to bring him along from England to Canada. He knows that John, with his expert drawing skills, will make an excellent cartographer of Canada's wilderness; an activity that will keep him away from the dangers of war.
On the eve of John's departure, his beloved twin sister, Jane, gives him her treasured silver ring. As John wears this circle of silver, it becomes the link to everything he loves: his homeland, the frontier, and his newly-made friends - especially the intriguing Marie Roy. Set against a backdrop of tradition, growing unrest, and the looming danger of Pontiac's Rebellion, John's experiences in a young Canada do indeed carry him toward manhood.
The first in a trilogy, A Circle of Silver brings history, memory, and hope together in a seamless adventure of discovery.
In 1760, thirteen-year-old John MacNeil, a skilled artist, leaves England and his beloved twin sister to join his father on a journey to the Canadian wilderness, where his role as official cartographer brings him often dangerous adventures, including an encounter with Pontiac, Chief of the Ottawas.
Synopsis
It is 1760, and Lord MacNeil decides that the way to make a man of his 13-year-old son, John, is to bring him along from England to Canada. He knows that John, with his expert drawing skills, will make an excellent cartographer of Canada's wilderness; an activity that will keep him away from the dangers of war.
On the eve of John's departure, his beloved twin sister, Jane, gives him her treasured silver ring. As John wears this circle of silver, it becomes the link to everything he loves: his homeland, the frontier, and his newly-made friends - especially the intriguing Marie Roy. Set against a backdrop of tradition, growing unrest, and the looming danger of Pontiac's Rebellion, John's experiences in a young Canada do indeed carry him toward manhood.
The first in a trilogy, A Circle of Silver brings history, memory, and hope together in a seamless adventure of discovery.
Children's Literature
When Lord MacNeil announces that his thirteen-year-old son John will accompany him on an overseas journey to Canada, his twin sister Jane slips her silver ring on his finger as a physical token of their friendship and love. The ring remains with John as he ventures into the Canadian wilderness and uses his skills as an artist to draw maps for the King of England. Although war rages in this year of 1760, John manages to stay safe on the outskirts. Crossing the ocean, camping along rivers, and encountering French traders and Odawa Indians all teach John about both fear and courage. Becoming friends with Marie Magdelaine Roy, a young girl living at Fort Detroit, teaches John about love and friendship. Told with clarity and compassion, this coming-of-age story weaves together the tales of three young people—John, Jane and Marie. Readers will delight in this artful combination of history and fiction. The first in a trilogy, A Circle of Silver, provides a human touch to Canadian and English history. 1999, Stoddart Kids, $7.95. Ages 10 to 14. Reviewer: Leah Hanson