Monday, March 7, 2016

Twenty-Fifth Anniversary of THE ANCIENT ONE by T.A. Barron --- and a Giveaway!



The Ancient One by T.A. Barron (New paperback edition March 8, 2016, Puffin Books, 320 pages, for ages 10 and up)

Synopsis (from the author's website): When Kate Gordon travels to Oregon for a quiet week at Aunt Melanie’s cottage, her plans are dashed by the discovery of a grove of giant redwood trees in nearby Lost Crater. Caught up in the struggle to help protect the redwood forest from loggers, Kate is thrown back in time five hundred years and finds herself facing the evil creature Gashra, who is bent on destroying the very same forest.
In this extraordinary quest, a girl discovers that all living things are connected in ways she never expected, and that true friendship can reach across cultures, and even across centuries.
Why I recommend it: Long before Katniss Everdeen, we had a strong female heroine by the name of Kate Gordon. I actually read this and the other two Kate Gordon adventures (the first is Heartlight and the third is The Merlin Effect) years ago, before I read all of  T.A. Barron's Young Merlin saga. But never fear: each of the Kate Gordon books are stand-alones. In fact, I read this one first.
I love Kate. She's not only strong, she's loyal, caring, and sure of herself. A great role model for both girls and guys.
Bonus: With the theme that everything is connected, this would also be excellent for starting conversations about the environment. Remember Earth Day is coming up in April. 

Through the generosity of the publisher I have one brand-new paperback to give away. To enter, you must be a follower of this blog and you must leave a comment on this post. Mention the giveaway on social media and I'll give you extra chances for each mention. Open to US mailing addresses only. This giveaway will end at 10:00 pm on Sunday March 13 and the winner will be announced Monday March 14.


22 comments:

  1. I really should read some T. A. Barron--this one sounds really good!

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    1. All of his books have an element of fantasy as well as a deep respect for our Earth. So any book you choose to read will work, Faith. But this one has such a great main character.

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  2. Okay...I have not even read the post yet. 25 years?!?!? Are you sure, lol...oh man. I knew I'd been in this business a loooong time, but it's moments like this that confirm it!

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  3. You know, I must go back and re-read these and...get to sharing them with a new generation!

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  4. I missed this one when it came out. I'd say its time to do some catching up with this character.Thanks for featuring.

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  5. I love T. A. Barron's books, although I missed this one. What I like so much about his strong heroines is that they are compassionate, and they learn positive messages as they go through their trials. I do get tired of some of the cynicism that some of our YA heroines have these days.

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  6. I don't remember this book. It sounds awfully good. Thanks for telling me about it. Please let someone else win. I am still sorting and packing.

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  7. This sounds intriguing, especially because I live in Oregon. :) I love survival stories as well, and then there's the time travel aspect...Thanks for sharing!

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    1. Oh, I've always wanted to visit Oregon, Jenni. Must be gorgeous.

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  8. Did not know there was a Barron novel set in Oregon. How cool! Love the new cover. (Wish I could join the giveaway, but I'm in Canada.)

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    1. That's a great new cover, isn't it? (And I'm sorry it's limited to US mailing addresses only.)

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  9. What a great suggestion for a strong female heroine. I'm co-hosting a chat on Saturday, where we're talking about strong female characters. Even thought the chat is YA driven, I'm going to mention Kate. She's real and raw. :)

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    1. That's a great idea, Sheri. And I conider this upper MG, so it would be fine to talk about Kate in a YA context.

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  10. I don't think I have ever heard of these books. I love strong characters and Kate sounds great! Awesome to hear that these can be read in any order. Thanks for sharing! :)
    ~Jess

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    1. I guess you could call them companion books, rather than a series, Jess.

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  11. I've never heard of this series before, so Thank You for sharing! :)

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