This author became renowned for her compelling historical novels for young readers. Her works are characterized by a deep immersion into the past, where she brings historical figures and events to life with a keen sense for period detail and psychological depth. Although her stories are set in the past, they resonate with universal themes of family, courage, and the search for identity, making them timeless. Her ability to transport readers to different times and cultures is masterful, cementing her status as an influential figure in children's literature.
Set against the backdrop of Roman-occupied Judea, the story follows Daniel bar Jamin, a young man driven by a fierce desire for vengeance after his father's murder. As he navigates the complexities of loyalty, friendship, and resistance, Daniel becomes entangled with a group of zealots fighting against Roman oppression. The novel explores themes of sacrifice, the struggle for freedom, and the moral dilemmas faced in the pursuit of justice.
Sixteen-year-old Kit Tyler is marked by suspicion and disapproval from the moment she arrives on the unfamiliar shores of colonial Connecticut in 1687. Alone and desperate, she has been forced to leave her beloved home on the island of Barbados and join a family she has never met. Torn between her quest for belonging and her desire to be true to herself, Kit struggles to survive in a hostile place. Just when it seems she must give up, she finds a kindred spirit. But Kit's friendship with Hannah Tupper, believed by the colonists to be a witch, proves more taboo than she could have imagined and ultimately forces Kit to choose between her heart and her duty. Elizabeth George Speare won the 1959 Newbery Medal for this portrayal of a heroine whom readers will admire for her unwavering sense of truth as well as her infinite capacity to love.
"The story begins with my father, actually, and the fact that I'm the one who's answerable for his death. It was not my first crime, as you will see, but it is the one my mother couldn't forgive." In her astonishing "New York Times" bestseller, acclaimed author Elizabeth George reveals the even darker truth behind this startling confession. "Playing for the Ashes" is a rich tale of passion, murder and love in which Inspector Thomas Lynley and Detective Sergeant Barbara Havers once again find themselves embroiled in a case where nothing--and no one--is really what it seems. Intense, suspenseful and brilliantly written, "Playing for the Ashes" will make readers "search out the sleuthing pair's first six adventures...a treasure," as "Cosmopolitan" predicted in their review. "From the Paperback edition."
Left alone to guard the family's wilderness home in eighteenth-century Maine, a boy is hard-pressed to survive until local Indians teach him their skills. Until the day his father returns to their cabinnbsp in the Maine wilderness, twelve-year-old Matt must try to survive on his own. Although Matt is brave he's not prepared for an attack by swarming bees and he's astonished when he's rescued by an Indiann chief and his grandson, Attean. As the oys come to know each other Attean learns to speak English while Matt becomes a skilled hunter. Though many months have passed, there's no sign of Matt's family. Then Attean asks Matt to join the Beaver tribe and move north. Should Matt abandon his hopes of ever seeing his family again and move on to a new life?
Author's style compared to P. D. James and Ruth Rendell.