Plumfield and Paideia

Jack and Jill: A Village Story

Reviewed by Sara Masarik
Published in 1880 and set in a small New England village, Jack and Jill opens with children playing on a snowy hill and trading sledding dares. Neighbors and best friends Jack and Jill make a bad decision with regard to their sled, and they end up wrecked with devastating consequences. Jack has a badly broken leg, and Jill has a severely injured back that may never heal correctly. Previously young, healthy, and active, both children are forced into many dreary months of confinement while the doctor, their mothers, and Mother Nature do what they can to mend the young children. Read the full review

Jack Zulu and the Waylander's Key

Reviewed by Sara Masarik
S. D. Smith says that he writes new books with old souls. But this time, he is joined by a new author with an old soul, his sixteen-year-old son, Josiah. Together, they take us on an adventure into the space between twelve worlds with peoples and politics just like ours and completely different at the same time... Read the full review

Jade

Reviewed by Sara Masarik
My spoiler-free review is very short: I did enjoy it. I will have it in my library. But, I will be cautious about to whom I recommend it. It is about a strong female protagonist from Colonial Virginia whose family is in the slave trade. Through a series of events, Melanie (nicknamed Jade) finds herself on a ship in the Bahamas attacked by pirates, and she joins their forces. She becomes a notorious outlaw, and this story is a rollicking fun ride. As much fun as this novel is, I found a number of challenges that mar the overall story for me, and I think parents may wish to know about some hefty content. Read the full review