A Plumfield Kids Book Review by Jack, age 11   

 

“It was all clear in Sven’s mind—but he did not move. The swimmer was not his father. He was not even a member of the schooner’s crew. This valiant swimmer who had defeated the great Atlantic rollers was not even a man, but an animal—a most unexpected animal. It was a big cream-colored polar bear.”

-The Strange Intruder by Arthur Catherall, page 48

Arthur Catheral, tells a powerful story of courage, and heroism that is fast-moving and hard to put down. This book is set on one of the Faroe islands: Mykines, where a ship breaks down a little ways off shore and is in danger of being smashed against the rocks, when a force ten storm strikes. Meanwhile, whales are seen on the horizon, and all of the men leave except four elderly men and one 16-year-old boy named Sven. These men are the only ones left to defend the women and children against a hungry polar bear, and to save the schooner’s crew.

The Faroe Seeker (the sinking schooner) was coming home from a fishing trip, when the crew saw a polar bear on an ice chunk, near Greenland. They thought that they could sell it to a circus, so they nursed it back to life on their way home. When they were a few miles from shore a piece of wood got stuck in the propeller which then blew up the engine, crippling the schooner. That’s when the storm hit, and the polar bear was washed overboard. It got ashore and then started to terrorize the inhabitants of the island. Sadly, some animals do die – a dog who dies nobly trying to defend its owner against the polar bear, and a sheep. 

“Askle was slithering backward now and he saw it all. He opened his mouth to yell but he was too late. The bear half rose, his right forepaw dangling loosely. But when Wulf rushed in, the paw swept round so quickly it seemed no more than a blur. Groaning, Askle shut his eyes for a moment. When he opened them again a second or so later poor Wulf was spinning through the air.”

-The Strange Intruder by Arthur Catherall, page 72

The Strange Intruder was originally called The Strange Invader. I personally think that The Strange Intruder sounds better, but The Strange Invader is more accurate, I think. Currently, Bethlehem Books Press is presently reprinting this book if you, and I’m very happy that they are because I love this book so much. You can find the book here. You can learn more about it at Biblioguides, here.