The Boy with the Bronze Axe

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Floris Books, 2005 - Juvenile Nonfiction - 173 pages
Kathleen Fidler's classic story is set in the ancient Stone Age village of Skara Brae on Orkney, now a major tourist attraction. This is a fascinating and vividly portrayed story of life nearly 3,000 years ago.Kali and Brockan are in trouble. They have been using their stone axes to chip limpets off the rocks, but they've gone too far out and find themselves trapped by the tides. Then, an unexpected rescuer appears, a strange boy in a strange boat, carrying a strangely sharp axe of a type they have never seen before.Conflict arises as the village of Skara must decide what to do with the new ideas and practices that the boy brings. As a deadly storm threatens, the very survival of the village is in doubt.The daily life, landscape and rituals of Skara have been meticulously researched, and are brought to life in striking, compelling detail.

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About the author (2005)

Kathleen Fidler (1899-1980) was the author of over eighty books for children, many of which were broadcast on BBC Radio Children's Hour and Schools programmes. She had a long-standing affection for Scotland, and was inspired to write The Boy With the Bronze Axe after a visit to Skara Brae on Orkney. The Fidler Award stood as a memorial to her deep interest in children and writers.

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