The Boy With The Bronze Axe
Author:
Kathleen Fidler
Illustrator:
N/A
Published by:
Kelpies
First Published:
1 Jan 1968
Ideal for readers aged
9-12y
My Review
This is an amazing imagining of what life might have been like in Skara Brae - I especially love the adoption of newcomer, Tenko, into Kali's family despite the tensions it causes in the village. Kali's father, Birno, is full of strength and kindness, willing to learn from Tenko who comes to them from another land and with new ideas. Kathleen Fidler, in writing this book, did an incredible job of conveying the challenges that had to be overcome in daily life for people in the Stone Age; hunting, making weapons, travelling by foot and by boat, and the hostility of other clans due to competition for food. She does all this, but it never feels that she is trying to educate the reader - quite a feat! - because, instead, the story draws us along with it's brilliant characters. If you have time for it in a classroom setting, it's a great book to share - recommended for anyone with an interest or desire to learn about life in the Stone Age!
Heads Up!
The fictional story of Kali and her family does track through the destruction of the village during a huge storm - people and animals alike are buried alive and only Kali and her family survive.
You might also want to know that the elder of the clan has a kind of prophetic gift - an ability to see the future, and that there is one scene in the book describing the ritual addition of a stone to the circle the clans are building - the main focus of this, rather than the beliefs and rites of the clan, is on the practicalities of the stone being set into the ground and Fidler's interpretation of how this might have been achieved.