The Boy with the Bronze Axe (Classic Kelpies)

Great book!

I read a lot and often come across a book that I think will be suitable and thought provoking fo my grandsons.I bought this for my 8 year old grandson and his dad reads to him every night. My son was not a big reader as a kid, just wouldn't get into it so I'm thrilled he does this for his kids. My grandson gives me an update every day on what's happening with the story when I pick him up from school. He's really interested in this one. Then we look up pictures online of Skara Brae and talk about the lives of people who lived there to give him a broader understanding of life back then. The author of the book was inspired to write the book after a visit there.

This is an interesting 'historical novel' my brother and I really enjoyed as kids - thrilled to be able to purchase it for my niece who happened to have just flown over Skara Brae on holiday where the book is set!

This story is fiction but is based upon the actual archeological finds of Skara Brae. Items recovered at Skara Brae are included in the story and this gives us a glimpse into what life may have and probably actually was like 5000 years ago. I am 48 and found the read very interesting yet somewhat predictable but for young to older teens, it certainly would be a great read. I am reading it to my 7 year old and he is absolutely enthralled with it. Not only is he is learning about prehistoric life but he is truly loving the fact that the story uses actual artifacts in the story. It just makes it come to life. Kathleen Fidler did a wonderful job with this book.

My 8 year son and I enjoyed reading this for our unit study on the Stone Age and ancient Northern Europe. It was very informative with a good plot line, though a bit sad and intense at times.

A ferocious storm in 1850 struck the Orkney Isles, revealing a small Stone Age settlement which had lain buried beneath the pitiless sands for over 3000 years. Inspired by the archaeological excavation, Kathleen Ridler has recreated the lifestyle of those rugged coastal dwellers in this book. A strange youth arrives by sea in a curious log canoe, carrying his most precious possession--an axe made of an unkown alloy: Bronze. Greeted with suspicion and even hostility the kindly youth struggles to become part of the tribe of Skara, as he quickly acquires two enemies. Why does the tribe's venerated elder advise the chief stone cutter to heed the youth's words and defer to his ideas in the future? What terribe fate awaits the helpless village; how can a mere lad with his unusual axe help save his new family? Excellent details of prehistoric life are presented as Tenko becomes a crucial part of Birno's household. Prophecies of doom gather like a relentless undercurrent of disaster, leading readers to the grim but inexorable cataclysmic horror--no less poignant for being set in a remote era of pre history. We can relate to the human desire to survive at all costs. Whose secrets will be preserved for posterity? Honor, gratitude, and hatred combine to create an interesting read for middle school students, or anyone with a passion for mankind's ancient past and ingenuity.

So few books talk about Skara Brae which fascinates my children. This was a great read aloud and we thoroughly enjoyed it!

I read this with interest and then passed it along to my grandson in hopes it will arouse an interest in history in him.

excellent story.

Bought the book to read before using it for my guided reading lessons in my class - chn will enjoy the story as it links to their learning across the curriculum.

We read this as part of a project on Prehistoric Britain. It isn't the best writing ever, but it is well researched and a reasonable theory about what happened at Skara Brae. My children picked up more prehistory knowledge from this than from any of the other books we studied. From what others have said, I was worried that the 'romance' between the two main characters might constitute too much adult content for my 7 and 5 year old, but it was fine. I'm not sure they even noticed that they were becoming more than just very good friends. Some parts read as quite sexist, and I'm not sure that's really necessary given that there is some evidence that prehistoric men & women were more equal than they were to be for hundreds of years after, but I skipped the odd line or two and it wasn't really a problem. I'm glad we bought it, it prompted the kids to ask dozens of questions in a way that non-fiction seldom does.

Read The Boy with the Bronze Axe in the late 1970's as a 10 year old, it stayed with me all these years. I bought it for my 12 year old niece to read and like me, passed it on to her 10 year old brother. Great characters in Cally and Brochan and also of very interesting historical value. I believe Scarra Brae in Scotland has the remains of old dwellings. A great read for children young in years and those of us still young at heart.

This is a simple story told in easy to understand language.The story, based in Orkney, is about a mysterious youth -who bears a bronze axe - arriving from over the sea to a stone age village and the friends and enemies he makes.Beset by a series of challenges, adventures and jealous rivals it tells of how he deals with each set of circumstances to eventually become the saviour of the clan.It is a happy story with lessons most 10yr olds (and over!) will benefit from being exposed to.