Book talk: Elias is dying of consumption, which is why his parents agree to send him deep into Mammoth Cave. There's a doctor there who claims that the atmosphere of the cave could cure the disease, and sure enough Elias soon starts to feel plagued by boredom more than consumption. Until he discovers that there's more hiding in the caves than even the doctor knows. Soon he's sneaking off to explore and help the runaways hiding in its labyrinthine corridors.
Rave: The historical facts behind this novel are fascinating from the tuberculosis sanatorium in Mammoth Cave to Stephen Bishop, the enslaved explorer who guided tourists and scientists through the cave's passageways. I wish Stephen Bishop had been the main character, but I liked Elias and found his struggles and inner dialogue believable. The plot kept plenty of suspense and adventure in the story and prevented it from becoming a dry historical recounting of events.
Every book its reader: I'd give this to students 4th and up looking for a historical adventure.
Topics and Trends: historical fiction, enslaved people, #weneeddiversebooks, adventure, Mammoth Cave, explorers, consumption
Source: school library
Bonus:
River Runs Deep by Jennifer Bradbury: buy it or check it out today!
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