The Battle for Duncragglin

July 1, 2009
Gr 4-7-Twelve-year-old Alex McPherson, who has been living with his uncle ever since the mysterious disappearance of his parents several years earlier, is set to spend the summer with his aunt in Scotland. When she gets sick, he is sent to live with the McRae family on their farm beneath the ruins of the castle Duncragglin. Mrs. McRae is missing as well and Alex soon gets the sense that the castle ruins have something to do with all of the strange disappearances. On a middle-of-the-night exploration of the caves underneath the ruins, he and his new friends are transported back in time to the 11th century, where William Wallace and his followers are fighting for their freedom against the English. Is this where all of the people have been going? And will Alex find his parents there? This book fills a hole in the historical fiction genre by showcasing Scotland in the Middle Ages. It will appeal to reluctant boy readers with its many battle scenes, descriptions of torture devices, and darkly humorous lines. Fans of the movie "Braveheart" will adore this book. There are a few moments where the action bogs down with too much description, but this is still an appealing, well-researched adventure."Kathleen Meulen, Sakai Intermediate School, Bainbridge Island, WA"

Copyright 2009 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 15, 2009
Grades 5-7 Twelve-year-old Alex travels to Scotland, where his parents mysteriously disappeared years before. Staying near the ruins of a castle, he and three local children travel back in time oversevencenturiesand find themselves in the middle of a bloody conflict involving Scottish hero William Wallace. Threats of imprisonment, torture, and hanging become very real to the children, who want to return to their own era but do not understand the device that enabled their journey back in time. The lack of meaningful character development may limit readers emotional involvement with the story, but the plot takes some interesting twists along the way. Those looking for headlong adventure featuring a stouthearted lad, a black-hearted villain, scenes of bloody violence, and details of survival techniques will not be disappointed. The surprising choice Alex makes at the novels endhints of possible sequels to come.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2009, American Library Association.)