Timothy of the Cay

This is a good example of a book that gains greatly from even a modest audio production. The story of a young white boy's moving friendship with an old black Virgin Islander during WWII is set largely in St. Thomas. There's no way a child reading to himself would be able to imagine the delightful, lilting rhythms and unique pronunciations of that local dialect. Jeff Woodman makes an otherwise unexceptional and unadorned reading sparkle with his characterizations of the aged Timothy and other islanders, this despite Woodman being, apparently, neither old nor black. A.M. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine

August 30, 1993
`` `Tis a beautiful cay, dis cay,' Timothy had said. He was right.'' So says Phillip Enright after his first actual view of the islet on which, in The Cay , he was stranded with the old black sailor Timothy, who taught him to survive. Phillip's return to the isolated spot marks the culmination of a journey both physical and spiritual. In alternating chapters Taylor recounts the events following the blinded 12-year-old's rescue from the remote island, and chronicles Timothy's history as well. In the tradition of its predecessor, this ``prequel/sequel'' explores social and racial imbalances and draws a graceful parallel between Timothy's youthful struggle to achieve an unheard-of dream--the captaincy of his own boat--and Philip's courage in choosing to undergo a risky operation to restore his vision. At times, the author seems to apologize for Timothy's illiteracy, his stubbornness and his belief in the spirits called jumbis , which seems unnecessary, given the character's obvious dignity and deep-rooted wisdom. Somewhat more thoughtful than its well-loved antecedent, this boldly drawn novel is no less commanding. Ages 10-14.