In the days when Oliver Cromwell defeated the king of England, the Beverley children are living at their late father's home with only an elderly aunt and a few servants. Then after the king escapes, a group of Roundheads decided to burn their home to the ground to see if the king is hidden there. An old woodsman named Jacob, who was a loyal servant of their father, takes the children to his forest home in order to keep his promise to protect them. There they must learn to hunt, farm, cook, and do all the other basic tasks to take care of each other. Eventually Edward joins the brief, unsuccessful attempt by the king to regain power and makes friends with a pair of Cavaliers, one of whom suggests that his sisters would be better off being raised by his aunts in a way that better fits their status. This frees Edward to join the king in France, while his industrious brother Humphrey stays behind to manage the farm and keep an eye on their old property as they must patiently wait for the restoration of the king to power before they can regain their status once more.
I thoroughly enjoyed Children of the New Forest by Marryat and would heartily recommend it for ages 10 and up. The characters are well developed. The plot is full of twists and turns of fate, and for those reading with children, it is brimming with topics for discussion. It is available for Kindle download free from Amazon.
No comments:
Post a Comment