The King of Slippery Falls

by Sid Hite Narrated by Patrick Lawlor

Overview

Lewis lives in the small town of Slippery Falls, Idaho, where for some time he has dreamed of catching an enormous trout that lives in a small pool behind a waterfall. But on Lewis' sixteenth birthday, his adoptive parents hand him a letter that his real mother left with him in his baby basket. Lewis is shocked to discover that he is French and seemingly linked to French royalty.

For Lewis, now unsure of his origin, fishing for the trout becomes a quest to discover who he really is. Just as he is about to nab his fish, he accidentally falls into the water and nearly dies.

The King of Slippery Falls is a touching and good-hearted novel about the search for self and the power of belief.

Editorial Reviews

School Library Journal

Gr 6-8-While fishing for an elusive giant white trout lurking in a river near his small Idaho town, 16-year-old Lewis Hinton, an adopted teen, stumbles across information that might link his biological parents to French royalty. He humbly reveals his discovery in confidence to his closest friend and undisclosed object of affection, Amanda Dot. Of course, she inadvertently begins to spin and spread a web of gossip that ultimately crowns Lewis as the unhappy "King of Slippery Falls." Throughout this calm backwoods novel, Hite weaves in an assorted bunch of offbeat and likable characters: a wise magilike elderly woman; a teenaged jet-setter whom Lewis fears has eyes for Amanda; and patient, believably caring parents who support Lewis's search for his heritage. Hite's rich language is rewardingly easy to follow. And while the often-predictable plot isn't exactly electrifying, Slippery Falls remains a solid, humorously enjoyable blend of fact and fish story.-Hillias J. Martin, New York Public Library Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

Kirkus Reviews

Lewis "Poisson" Hinton dreams of catching the giant trout he's sure he's seen behind Slippery Falls. A mysterious letter he receives from his mother, signed "J.A. Poisson," seemingly links Lewis with King Louis XV and Madame de Pompadour. In a light, good-hearted tale about a boy abandoned at birth in search of glory and an identity, Hite offers a most unusual fish story with much to say about friends and community. When Lewis almost dies, readers see how much one young boy means to so many people. A likable protagonist, a mystery, a romance, a near-death in the roiling waters close to the falls, an elderly neighbor who saves his life, and a boy intent on life well-lived are the elements sure to hook many readers. (Fiction. 12+)

DEC 05/JAN 06 - AudioFile

Sixteen-year-old Louis Hinton, adopted after being left in a basket, discovers that he may be a descendant of French royalty, just as he is struggling to find his own identity in Slippery Falls, Idaho. Patrick Lawlor reads this silly adventure and search for self with a tongue-in-cheek tone befitting the middle school audience that will enjoy this novel. Lawlor is best when narrating Louis’s quest for the largest trout he’s ever seen, and his awe at the eventual encounter. The audio could have been edited a bit better, however, as Lawlor stumbles over character names such as Maple Baderhoovenlisterah, eventually getting it but treating the listener to a handful of his failed attempts. H.L.S. © AudioFile 2005, Portland, Maine

Product Details

BN ID:	2940169550573
Publisher:	Blackstone Audio, Inc.
Publication date:	06/27/2005
Edition description:	Unabridged
Age Range:	10 - 13 Years

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