Marithyme Recommended Reading

Wreck of the Ethie ANNOTATION Fictionalized account of the wreck of the steamship Ethie which occurred on the remote western coast of Newfoundland in December 1919 and in which the dog Skipper proved his heroism. REVIEWS Number of Reviews: 10 A reviewer, August 14, 2000, (5 start) Couldn't put it down! This was on our summer reading list. I didn't expect much but boy was I surprised. This book is now my favorite book because it was so thrilling. THe dog Skipper was so smart & brave. I got really scared during the storm that sank the ship. Colleen was my favorite character & I thought that Patrick was very smart & brave,too. I keep thinking about this story & wish that it was a movie too . Also recommended: Titantic Peter Maniate (hannibal@nexicom.net), the editor of the Gentle Giant News, April 10, 2000,(5 star) Review from the Winter/2000 issue of the Gentle Giant News On December 16th, 1919, the S.S. Ethie was wrecked in a hurricane off the western coast of Newfoundland at Martin Point near Bonne Bay. A courageous Newf saved the lives of the 92 people on board this steam ship. The local newspaper, the Western Star, gave only one sentence in their story of the wreck about the role of the heroic Newfoundland dog: 'A line was fired from the ship, but got caught up amongst the boulders, so the people of Martin Point sent out one of their dogs, a very sagacious animal, to bring it ashore.' Maybe the folks in Newfoundland in the early 20th century were satisfied with such curt reporting of incredible heroism against the full ferocity of nature; perhaps they were so accustomed to living with such amazing animals that they took selfless devotion, absolute bravery and magnificent power for granted. However, for those of us who never stop to amaze at the wonderfulnes of the Newfoundland dog, we need more. More is what Hilary Hyland has given us in her fictionalized account of this fantastic feat of bravery and strength. She has filled in the details that we want, nay, need to know. The book reflects the meticulous research that she carried out. We are introduced to the rugged life in the Newfoundland of the day both on land and at sea. We feel the mighty fury of nature and the good hearted bravery of the people. Moreover we get to meet and know the incredible Newf in his everyday life and at his courageous best. Our appetite for knowing it all about that incredible day is sated. In other words, Hilary Hyland has taken the bare bones of the historical accounts and put back on the flesh in order to bring the story alive for us. In addition to a fabulous story you also get the full text of a poem about the dog (four pages), several pages of author's notes with pictures, a photocopy of the newspaper account, a glossary of nautical terms and maps of the area. RECOMMENDATION: Great reading for children eight to 12 and a must read for Newfoundland dog lovers of all ages. Best read with a Newfoundland dog at your side, because like the characters at the end of the book, you'll want to hug a Newf. BRIAN March 10, 2000, (5 starts) 2 PAWS UP! WHAT STARTED OUT AS A BEDTIME STORY FOR MY TWO CHILDREN TURNED INTO AN 'ALL-NIGHTER'. A RIVETING AND ENGROSSING STORY THAT STIRS THE SOUL AND IMAGINATION. I COMMEND MS. HYLAND ON HER FIRST EFFORT AND HOPE FOR FUTURE FORTHCOMING PROJECTS! Carol Ostrowski, A reviewer, January 31, 2000, (5 starts) An exciting story for both children and adults My nine-year-old daughter and I took turns reading this book aloud to each other at her bedtime. I became so caught up in the story that I started reading ahead each night after she was asleep -- I couldn't wait until the next day to see what happened! We both loved the characters, especially the brave dog, Skipper. And it was heartwarming to read a story that contains so many people performing brave deeds in a desperate situation. My daughter enjoyed the book so much that she asked me to buy a copy for her class at school so that her friends can read it as well. Andy Finn, A reviewer, January 13, 2000, (5 starts) Thank You, Ms Hyland and Skipper My Daughter, Katelyn and I enjoyed reading the story of Skipper's courageous and inspirational rescue. An absolutely beautiful story that I highly recommend.Role models can have two legs...or four!! Thank you Ms. Hyland and Skipper. Please feel free to post any good Newfie books you have read and feel worth mentioning.