Review by AshNewell -- Strong Heart by Charlie Sheldon

[AshNewell]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Strong Heart" by Charlie Sheldon.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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Strong Heart is a thrilling, yet heartwarming book written by Charles Sheldon.

The story of this book takes place in Seattle Washington. It begins in the home of Tom, who is preparing for a camping trip to visit his grandfather’s grave with his Native American friend, William, of the Sol Duc tribe, and William’s grown daughter, Myra. Tom ex-wife stops by and leaves their granddaughter, a 12-year-old girl named Sarah that he didn’t know existed, in his care. Tom decides to continue with his camping trip as planned and to take Sarah with them.

The camping trip requires that they hike through Olympic National Park. The journey is hard work and Tom struggles to form a relationship with Sarah. After they reach where his grandfather is buried, Sarah runs off after an argument with Tom. She disappears and they are unable to find her, along with an ancient artifact that Tom was going to leave at his grandfather’s grave and Myra thinks could also save the park and the port where Tom works from a mining claim. When Sarah finally shows back up, she’s a mess and tells an impossible story that may be able to answer all of their problems.

The book starts a little slow and Sarah’s attitude in the beginning is mildly irritating. However, the read is completely worth it. It’s difficult not to become invested in Tom and Sarah’s relationship, the fight to protect the national park, and the outcome of the characters in Sarah’s tale.The best part of the book is actually the story within the story. Sarah tells the adults a story that includes bear attacks, deaths, and a thrilling journey. The intense events that occur keep the pages turning effortlessly.

The story is not only intense, but also broaches the debate on when people first arrived in the Americas, making for a fascinating story. Myra is a firm believer that her people has been in the Americas for a long time and completely denies that they are descendants from people that came across the land bridge from Asia. Sergei, a scientist and son to a friend of William, argues that all the data suggests the the latter is true. The details used for their debate are both well-researched and interesting.

I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. It is a thrilling and touching page-turner. I would recommend this book to readers who appreciate adventure, family, and anthropology. I would recommend it to readers of all ages.

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Strong Heart
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