Raiders' Ransom

Gr 5—8—An environmental catastrophe befalls England in the early 23rd century, leaving life backwards both socially and technologically for the survivors. Much of the country has been flooded. Lilly Melkun, a 13-year-old fishergirl, manages to get by with the aid of her seafaring cat, a valuable commodity in a world broken into hostile factions. While Lilly fishes, raiders pillage her village, killing her grandmother and kidnapping the Prime Minster's daughter. Lilly comes into possession of a "jewel" and sets off to rescue the girl. The jewel turns out to be a computer from the 21st century. When Lilly meets Zeph, the son of the chief raider, she tricks him into helping her. But Zeph isn't that naïve and finds his loyalty to his father and new friend on shaky ground. The dangers that await them drive Emily Diamand's seafaring adventure (Chicken House, 2009) into a jolly good tale. The story is told from the viewpoints of Lilly and Zeph, and Charlotte Parry and James Clamp do a stellar job of bringing these voices to life. The underlying story line is one of consequence—a futuristic society suffering from past decisions. Those who enjoy a suspenseful tale and a good pirate yarn will find the audio version performed in true swashbuckling form.—Robyn Gioia, Bolles School, Ponte Vedra, FL