Reading is a huge deal in our house. The kids go through many books in a week, so they are always eager to review new ones. Not only is reading the foundation of our education, but it is also a passion of my 11-year-old. She will spend hours a day poring every the pages of a good story. Though she enjoys many juvenile options still, she's reached an age and reading level that is longing for something deeper. The problem with young adult fiction, the next step up, is that the majority of it contains themes that we are not wanting to encourage in her young mind.
That is where Dr. Robert B. Sloan and 12 Gates Publishing comes in. Dr. Sloan--university president, public speaker, educator, writer, and leader--can now add fiction author to his long list of accomplishments. He believes in the importance of fiction because it transports the reader into the minds of characters and new places, broadens experiences, and showcases the clash of good and evil. His first fiction work, The Hamelin Stoop Series, has been a labor of love over many years. He wanted to offer a fantasy series for the young adult crowd that will shape their minds "morally, intellectually, and emotionally." These books sounded like they would be perfect for my girl.
Hamelin Stoop: The Eagle, The Cave, and the Footbridge (Book 1) is the first in the series. At 5.5 x 8.2 inches and nearly an inch thick with 325+ pages, this is no small, read-in-an-afternoon book, even for my bibliophile daughter. While we often enjoy family read-alouds, we chose to use these for individual reading. I asked my daughter to explain the plot to me. I should have known better, because I was the same way as a child when I would relate books to my own mother. My girl began retelling the story detail by tiny detail. I was afraid we were going to post a rewrite, ha. Here is her (greatly condensed) version:
Simon, Johnnie, and their baby were being chased by trackers from a different world. The parents decide to split up to escape. The mom took the baby and ran to the children's home where she grew up. She left a note and the baby in a tomato crate. The dad took a bundle of blankets and ran to a waterfall. He threw the blankets over the edge to make the trackers think the baby was dead. Both parents were caught by the trackers, transported into the other world, and taken to a man named Ren'dal. He imprisoned them to force them to have another child to fulfill an evil plan.
Meanwhile, the cook at the orphanage found the baby and named him Hamelin Stoop, because of the note and where they found him. Even though they didn't normally keep infants, they allowed him to stay. As he got older, he enjoyed making friends and listening to others read. Life was filled with sadness though, as those friends moved away and staff members left. When everyone forgot his 8th birthday, he decided to run away. He found a cave to stay in for the night, but he hit his head and passed out. He woke to noises and saw a huge eagle who told Hamelin to follow him through the cave. The two of them came to a footbridge. Hamelin tried to cross it, lost his balance, and nearly fell over the edge. The eagle saved him and brought him back to the beginning of the bridge. The eagle told Hamelin to return to the children's home if he couldn't cross the bridge, so he did.
During this time, his parents had a baby girl. Because Ren'dal needed a boy born from both worlds, he took this baby and wanted them to try again. Heartbroken, the parents ran away. They met a strange woman who convinced them to go back and wait for a better time.
A couple years passed before Hamlein tried to find the footbridge again. He went back to the same spot, but couldn't find the cave entrance. The eagle appeared and told him to leave because it wasn't the right time. Life continued at the children's home. One day while searching the attic, Hamelin found his old backpack with gloves the eagle had given him the first time they met. He wore them to school. He got into a fight with a bully and realized that the gloves gave him super strength. He then realized it was time to head back to the cave. There was a boulder covering the entrance, so he used the gloves to push it away. The eagle led him to the footbridge and he was able to cross and pass the test.
The story continues in Hamelin Stoop: The Lost Princess and the Jewel of Periluna (Book 2). Hamelin was able to pass the test to cross the footbridge, but realized that his quest to find his parents and learn of his true identity was greater than he had imagined. The eagle lead him through the first part of his mission in this dangerous new realm, but he had to rely on the help of new friends to finish it. He traveled through the Waters of Death and Life, the Land of Gloaming, the Forest of Fears, and the city of Osmethan. He saw frightening creatures, escaped death, helped rescue a princess, reclaimed stolen jewels, stopped the magic waters, and learned some surprising things. The friends received special gifts--a scarf of sight, shoes of speed, and a sword of death--to help them in their quest. All the while, Simon and Johnnie were still captives of Ren'dal and shared their secret about their baby to escape torture. Hamelin returned to the children's home in his realm and prepared to learn how his story connected to those around him as he understood more about his heritage.
The second book is identical in size to the first one, but has just under 300 pages. Both stories have 41 short chapters, so it's easy to fit in some reading even when you don't have much time to commit to a large portion. The writing is rich and engaging, and even though I didn't read the stories myself, I did read several bits of both books and found myself wanting to know more. I think this series would be a perfect read-aloud for our family, and with a projected total of 6-7 books, the adventure would last us a long time. The company is also working on discussion guides to accompany each book, making them great talking points for family time and helping kids to understand the deeper elements and themes of the story.
I do feel confident in allowing my children to read this series, knowing that the books are written at a "PG" level by a christian, however, there are a few things I will point out. There is an instance of a bully calling the protagonist Hamlein Stoopid, a few instances of characters saying "omigosh" (which we consider to be a slang version of taking the Lord's name in vain), and people calling others idiots at one point. These certainly wouldn't hinder me from purchasing additional books, but something to be aware of if reading to the younger crowd.
My daughter enjoyed these books and can't wait to see the next part of Hamelin's story. My oldest boys (13 yr, 9 yr) are reading through the books now and love the adventure and excitement in them.
The Hamelin Stoop Series is a wonderful bridge from children's books to adults' without having to worry about content that is too mature for young minds. The reader is taken on a fantastical journey as a boy searches for truth, gains courage, and endures tests. There are many exciting parts along the way, and we can't wait to learn the whole story.
"Fantasy shapes the mind through imaginative people, creatures, and events.
It stirs the heart. It raises questions of good and evil, and it forces the reader
to think and engage with big issues." ~ Robert B. Sloan
You can connect with 12 Gates Publishing and Dr. Robert B. Sloan on the following social media sites:
You can read more reviews of this book series on the Homeschool Review Crew blog.
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