Rating: My bookshelf

Reading Level: Late Elementary

Another winner that illustrates honor, courage, and reliance on God (“the Heart”). However, some peril and other issues make it inappropriate for a young or sensitive audience. Read on…

Possible Concerns:

  • Kidnapping. A baby is kidnapped by a mentally unwell woman.
  • Abusive/Murderous Father. A father squirrel kills the girl he had a child with out of wedlock and tries to kill the baby as well.
  • Identity. A youngster grapples with discovering the identity of his father, who was evil.
  • Jealousy. A youngster confesses jealousy of his freind.
  • Trauma. Various creatures grapple with trauma from their past, including the practice of culling, when weak or deformed babies were killed.
  • Peril. There is a rescue operation that results in the death of a key character.
  • Xenophobia. Some gossip about a queen who is from another island. They accuse her of being the reason for disease and make other criticism of her.

Things I liked:

  • Prayers to “The Heart,” who is the name used for the God who looks after their island. There is only one God prayed to.
  • Honor & Bravery. The main characters and their mentors are full of honor and fight for the weak/oppressed.

This belongs on my bookshelf, but I will keep it high up so that a kid must be the proper age before reading it.

See also my reviews of Book 1: Urchin of the Riding Stars and Book 2: Urchin and the Heartstone.