Helen Parker

This is a stand-alone sequel to 'Hide and Secret', though it's not necessary to have read that first. Chris is the main character in this story; he and his family move to a small Scottish island, although he really doesn't want to.

He meets friends, experiences racist attitudes, takes part in a potentially dangerous rescue by sea, and learns about what it means to forgive. There's a Christian theme but it's not preachy; some of Chris's friends belong to different faiths or none.

I found the pace just right, the characters believable, and the story so interesting that it was hard to put down at times. Probably best for young folk between the ages of about nine and fourteen, but it makes a good quick read for adults too - and could be an excellent book to read aloud, with some important issues that could be discussed.

Definitely recommended.

Longer review here: https://suesbookreviews.blogspot.com/2023/06/island-treasure-by-helen-parker.htm...… (meer)

Quite an exciting story involving a twelve-year-old girl (who narrates) who has just moved from Cairo to Edinburgh with her widowed mother. They become involved in the life of a young man who's an asylum seeker, but who has lost his memory and has almost no English...

Questions are raised about when it's right to deceive the authorities - or at least to delay something that should be done sooner - in the context of the importance of truth. Other threads in the story also look at the importance of honesty, from a Christian point of view but done in a low-key way.

I liked the story very much and would recommend it to fluent readers of about nine and upwards, or possibly as a thought-provoking read-aloud for children of that age.

Longer review here: https://suesbookreviews.blogspot.com/2022/10/hide-and-secret-by-helen-parker.htm...… (meer)