A Stranger Came Ashore

I read this book for the first time when I was ten and I still can pick it up and be swept away to the windy peat bogs of the Emerald Isle. All Saint's Eve-Hallowe'en to us Yanks-is presented with incredible color and vitality and embodies the struggle of good against not so good. Because of this book, the Northern Lights will forever be "The Merry Dancers." Anyone interested in sharing or learning celtic legend and tradition on an engaging level with their family will profit from this book. It is definitely a "must-have" in my house!

A STRANGER CAME ASHORE was a thrilling story of a selkle king who came to take away a little boy's sister to the sea. I'm twelve and I thought it was a great book. People who like fantasy and adventure stories will love it. I also recommend A MERMAID SUMMER by Molly Hunter.

From the moment the bedraggled stranger, Finn Learson, burst unexpectantly into the Hendersons' home, I was captivated. I could scarcely put the book down. Robbie Henderson, a twelve year old Shetlander, learns about the magical powers of the Selkie Folk as he struggles to keep his sister, Elspeth, from marrying the Great Selkie. It's obvious why Mollie Hunter has been dubbed "Scotland's most gifted storyteller" by Connie Epstein in the journal of the Society of Children's Book Writers. Hunter, who has led an interesting life, has researched Celtic folklore.

I have many personal reactions to the book "A Stranger Came Ashore." It was a very well-written book by Mollie Hunter that kept me satisfied and content. The story about the Henderson family will keep your mind and soul full of suspense. This is a book that you will never forget. This book is the type where you start out as just a normal person reading the book, but in the end wind up abnormal and full of imagination that keeps on going through your mind like how the thick red blood rushes through! You also might find this book quite as fascinating or exciting as in the end. Soon you will find out that you never want to put this book down. It very quickly becomes as addicting as a mini hand-held game! On a star rating ranging between 1-5, this book would get 5 big, sparkely stars that shine as bright as a gold coin found in the bottom of the ocean waters!!! Enjoy reading!

I loved this book, A Stranger Came Ashore. I didn't want our teacher, who read it to us, to put it down it was so suspensful. I think I recommended it to my family ten times, fearing they would forget about it. Although this book was mostly fiction I learned a lot about the culture of the people who live in the Shetland Islands. This culture is very interesting mostly because I had never heard of it before. One of the things that made this book full of suspense was you kind of knew that everything would come out all right in the end but you never knew how this would happen. Also, the way Molly Hunter described things using figurative language was simply amazing. I recommend this book to any 5th and 6th graders who like adventure and suspense. I would happily rate this book, on a scale of 1-5, a 5.