The High Climber of Dark Water Bay

by Caroline Arden

Overview

“How brave are you?”
“Not very.”
“Well, you will be tomorrow.”

Twelve-year-old Lizzie Parker’s father died after the stock market crash of 1929. Accustomed to a comfortable life in Seattle, she is now so poor that she is sent to live with her uncle in a remote logging camp in British Columbia. But when she arrives, her uncle is gone. Left to fend for herself among rough loggers, she begins to unravel the mystery of her uncle’s disappearance —only to discover that her own life is in danger. Now Lizzie must find out just how brave she truly is.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781683367802
Publisher:	TURNER PUB CO
Publication date:	06/05/2018
Pages:	230
Product dimensions:	5.60(w) x 8.60(h) x 0.80(d)
Age Range:	9 - 15 Years

About the Author

Caroline Arden holds an MFA in fiction writing from Johns Hopkins University. As a child she spent her summers at her grandparents' home at a former logging camp in British Columbia. Now she lives in Santa Cruz, California with her husband and daughter.

Editorial Reviews

"The lyrical writing shines, and yet the danger that Lizzie faces—from nature and from men—is never far from the surface. Well-drawn characters and pitch-perfect writing elevate this adventure tale to soaring heights." —Mariko Turk, Booklist

"The High Climber of Dark Water Bay took me back to the best books of my youth—an old-fashioned (in the best possible way!) adventure tale for all the once-and-future Jo Marches out there! I loved Lizzie's honesty and self-reliance and curiosity. Arden has created a world of rich and vivid detail that I was reluctant to leave." - Joanna Pearson, author of The Rites and Wrongs of Janice Wills

"Caroline Arden's luminous, lyrical debut The High Climber of Dark Water Bay updates A Little Princess for readers living through our own Great Recession. Fans of Twilight will relish revisiting the lush woodlands of the Pacific Northwest, and anyone who has ever doubted that she has the strength necessary to carry on in the face of insurmountable difficulty and fear will find a kindred spirit in Lizzie, who learns that power and strength can be found in the most surprising places." - Katherine Howe, New York Times bestselling author of The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane

"In The High Climber of Dark Water Bay, Caroline Arden has created the hero we have been waiting for in Young Adult Lit – Lizzie is authentic, relatable and proves herself a force to be reckoned with. Engaging and immersive, Arden’s writing is clean and crisp. Vivid imagery and concise storytelling combine to create a story for all ages." - Kathleen Kaufman, author of The Lairdbalor

From the Publisher

03/01/2018
Gr 5–8—When her father dies as the result of suicide after the stock market crash of 1929, 12-year-old orphan Lizzie must find work even though she lacks any marketable talents. An invitation to travel alone to her wealthy uncle's logging camp in the Vancouver wilderness, where she will work for the summer as governess for his sons, provides a short-lived solution. When she arrives there, Lizzie finds that her uncle and his family have left and the camp boss, a vile and greedy alcoholic, has devised a plan to hold Lizzie for ransom. With the help of the loggers, Lizzie learns skills she never thought she could and becomes a part of their team. Descriptions of the camp and of the logging procedures are fascinating, though unfamiliar readers might experience some difficulty following along. While the premise is exciting and Lizzie is a brave and resourceful protagonist, the suspense level is relatively low; readers are not likely to truly fear for her safety. VERDICT Readers of historical fiction will appreciate this likable heroine, the interesting time period, and the unusual setting. A commendable secondary purchase.—MaryAnn Karre, Binghamton, NY

School Library Journal