Eli and the Swamp Man

Sherman, Charlotte Watson

ISBN 10: 0060247231 ISBN 13: 9780060247232

Publisher: HarperCollins, 1996

Determined to run away from home to Alaska to see his father, who moved there three years earlier, Eli asks three friends to go with him, but when they refuse, he sets out by himself, despite the warnings of his friends about the Swamp Man.

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About the Author:

Charlotte Watson Sherman lives in Seattle with her husband, two daughters and a cat named Toby.

From School Library Journal:

Grade 3-5. Eight-year-old Eli doesn't want anything to do with his stepfather, Ari. He misses his father, who now lives in Alaska with his new wife and baby, and convinces himself that he can ride his bike from Seattle to Alaska. One of his first challenges is to make it through the area where the Swamp Man lives. After a minor accident, the boy finds himself face to face with this mysterious stranger. As they talk, the child starts to realize how lucky he is to have a loving family and decides that his trip can wait for another day. Eli is very believable as he struggles with his memories of his absent father and refuses to accept his stepfather who tries to reach out to him. Other characters, such as his sister, his mother, and a friend's grandmother, are also effectively developed. Family discussions about a trip to New Orleans, where Ari will be participating in the Mardi Gras by "masking Indian" to thank those who helped the runaway slaves, are easily woven into the story. Although Eli's encounter with the Swamp Man is a stretch, it is still a possibility and does add some tension and suspense to this brief tale. Carol Schene, Taunton Public Schools, MA
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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