If We Tell You

Written by Nicola Dahlin

Kids Can Press

978-1-5253-1147-5

400 pp.

Ages 12-15

October 2024

 

A truth relies on what came before it. (p. 32)

 

There's something about the cover that tells you that If We Tell You is going to be a thriller. And if that doesn't give it away it then the first pages in which fifteen-year-old twin brothers Lewis and Cameron Larsen are running from a "serious event" at their home outside of Calgary and heading to the airport and then to Scotland definitely would. The "serious event"? It was a man and a woman who crashed their BBQ and held guns on the boys before Mom and Dad expertly put the strangers down with a knife and a gun. Mom and Dad have taken off and left the boys with a backpack of passports with new names and a load of money. Now the twins are heading to find Maggs, a woman who runs a guest house in Edinburgh, determined to find their parents again and figure out why this is all happening.

Because they had been told by their mother to stay together but avoid being seen together–they are identical twins–the boys experience things differently, not the least of which is because the two are not identical in dispositions. Cameron is the more impetuous boy but optimistic and more street savvy of the two, while Lewis is the smarter one and the one who does not believe that his parents have done anything wrong to get them to this state.

Though they hope getting to Maggs will answer all their questions, Lewis and Cameron just get more perturbed by what they learn and are left with more questions including finding out who their parents really are. The parents they knew as Jennifer Reid and David Larsen are known by different names. They're suspected of being terrorists and thieves and are still wanted by the police. It's going to take a whole host of characters, including family they never knew existed and an assortment of guests and neighbours at Maggs's, to keep the boys safe and help them figure out whether all their lives are based on lies.

 

Told in the alternating voices of Lewis and Cameron, If We Tell You is an action thriller that offers different perspectives on the same circumstances. They are twin teens who witness a terrifying situation and are separated from the only family they know, and they see their circumstances differently. Of course, they are both devastated but Lewis adheres strictly to what his parents told him to always do and not to trust anyone and is convinced that their parents are not the criminals they are assumed to be. Cameron jumps in and follows his heart, doing what he thinks is right and hoping that it will help them find their parents and the truth. As the two boys grapple with their circumstances, including posing as one boy Will, their trust of each other and others becomes limited. But Calgary author Nicola Dahlin brings the boys full circle, from only seeing their own perspectives to appreciating those of the other. In fact, it is only because of those differences that the two are able to face a myriad of challenges, including kidnapping, assaults, and romance, and come out the other side.

This is Nicola Dahlin's debut novel and, because of her own background, living in Calgary and growing up in Scotland, there is an authenticity of voice and place. Her placement of the bulk of the story in Scotland, a place of rich history, of the Edinburgh Festival, and more, adds a unique dimension, in language and landscape. Moreover, she brings in all sorts of characters, from teens to tourists, police and historians, some friend, some foe, such that it's difficult for the boys, and readers, to tell the difference. If We Tell You is as rich in storytelling as it is in people and place.

The title may be If We Tell You but there's not a whole lot of telling that is happening that is the complete truth, though for the boys and the readers, figuring it out when they're on the run and in a different country makes for a good story. And a good story it is with action and history, mysteries and even a little romance. In the end, it's a whodunit or maybe even a what-did-they-do story, and its ending promises more to come.

 

Door into Faerie: The Shards of Excalibur, Book 5

by Edward Willett

Coteau Books

978-1-550506549

196 pp.

Ages 13+

June 2016

Ariane Forsythe, the heir to the Lady of the Lake, and her  boyfriend Wally Knight, successor of King Arthur, are on their final quest to locate the fifth shard of Excalibur, the hilt, and reforge the legendary sword.  That is, unless computer magnate Rex Major a.k.a. Merlin and Wally’s sister Felicia a.k.a. Flish don’t discover the hilt first, allowing them to claim the whole sword.  With both sides endowed with magic and power and harbouring two shards, it’s anyone’s game in Door into Faerie, the final book in Edward Willett’s pentalogy.

Magical quests are easy; family is hard. (pg. 30)

Having been away for five months from his family, dysfunctional as it is–dad with his girlfriend, mom often off filming and his bullying sister now aiding Merlin–Wally convinces Ariane to transport them to Scotland where his mother is working on her lastest film project at Castle MacPhaiden, named for her side of the family.  Unfortunately, Rex Major and Flish are already there and Wally suspects that, because his mother is researching family legends, Rex Major believes she’ll discover something that will lead them to the hilt.  But Ariane and Wally are the first to realize that the treasure his Great Grandfather Knight had fled to Canada claiming to protect is actually that final piece of Excalibur.  So, the race to the grounds of the historic site Cannington Manor in Saskatchewan and unearthing of the hilt ensues, but not without a little frustration, a whole lot of magic, some familial obstacles, and a climactic battle.

While Edward Willett may not exactly conclude his Shards of Excalibur series with Ariane and Wally fulfilling their quest of retrieving the sword for the Lady of the Lake (you’ll need to read the book to understand that), Door into Faerie closes favorably in more ways than one and Excalibur is not the only entity that is rebuilt at its finale.  This fifth book is as forged with magic, conflict, action and travel, as well as a little history, as the earlier four books–Song of the Sword (Coteau, 2014), Twist of the Blade (Coteau, 2014), The Lake in the Clouds (Coteau, 2015), and Cave Beneath the Sea (Coteau, 2015)–but family, which has always been important, becomes paramount.  Brothers and sisters Merlin and the Lady of the Lake, and Wally and Felicia, as well as mothers Emily Forsythe and Jessica Knight, drive the story, and ultimately help resolve its plotlines, a monumental task in a fantasy based on the Arthurian legends.  Yet Edward Willett accomplishes this easily with his consistent intensity and fluidity of plot progression.  The rebuilding of Excalibur may be the final outcome but it’s the quest that is the journey that regales readers right through the series. 

Middle Ages (Medieval Times) Book List II

Clip art from www.teacherfiles.com

This is the second list of Canadian titles that deal with Medieval Times or the Middle Ages, which is generally accepted to have occurred from about 500 to 1500 C.E., after the fall of the Roman Empire until the Renaissance Era (14th c. to 16th c.). Several of these young adult books may be set in the 17th century as well.

Young Adult Fiction

1212: Year of the Journey 
by Kathleen McDonnell
Second Story Press
290 pp.
Ages 12+
2006
Based on a true story of a peaceful crusade in 1212 led by children, 1212 traces the lives of three multi-faith characters who search for answers to their questions about faith.

The Apprentice's Masterpiece: A Story of Medieval Spain
by Melanie Little
Annick Press
310 pp.
Ages 12+
2009
In fifteenth century Spain, the Benvenistes, a family of conversos (Jews who converted to Christianity) must keep their secrets well once Queen Isabella comes to power and imposes her intolerance on the country. After Amir, a young man in Muslim attire, is welcomed by the family, shocking events, including the Spanish Inquisition, transpire to divide and destroy the family.

The Battle for Duncragglin
by Andrew H. Vanderwal
Tundra
310 pp.
Ages 11-14
2009
From a mysterious cave in Scotland, a young boy is transported to late 13th century and the time of William Wallace's struggle for Scottish independence.

The Burning Time
by Carol Matas
Orca
106 pp.
Ages 13-15
1994/200
Rose, a fifteen-year-old girl, and her mother are accused of witchcraft in late 1500's France. 

An Earthly Knight
by Janet McNaughton
HarperCollins
255 pp.
Ages 8-15
2003 
After her sister is disgraced,  Lady Jeanette Avenel, the teen  daughter of a Norman nobleman in Scotland, finds herself betrothed to the king's younger brother and heir.

Crusade: The Heretic's Secret, Book 1
by John Wilson
Key Porter
348 pp.
Ages 11-14
2009

Grail: The Heretic's Secret, Book 2
by John Wilson
Key Porter
348 pp.
Ages 11-14
2009
Two teenaged boys, John and Peter, raised in a Catholic orphanage, find themselves on opposite sides of the Roman Catholic Church's crusade against the Cathars in 13th century France.

Nine Days Queen
by Karleen Bradford
Scholastic
200 pp.
Ages 13+
1986
The story of Lady Jane Grey who was forced to become queen of England in 1553 when she was only 15 years of age.

The Sinclair Saga
by Mark Finnan
Formac
154 pp.
Ages 13+
1999
The story of Prince Henry Sinclair of Scotland and his possible voyages to the New World in the late 14th century.

Ingamald
by Gail Sidonie Sobat
Spotted Cow Press
110 pp.
Ages 12-17
2001

A Winter's Tale
by Gail Sidonie Sobat
Great Plains Publications
172 pp.
Ages 12-17
2004

A Glass Darkly
by Gail Sidonie Sobat
Great Plains Publications
192 pp.
Ages 12-17
2006
This fantasy trilogy in a medieval setting tells the story of young Ingamald's battle to rid her homeland of Hinterland from the evil Morton Cornelius Winter, the self-proclaimed lord of the land.

Middle Ages (Medieval Times): Book List I

Clip art from www.teacherfiles.com

Most school curricula include a unit on Medieval Times or the Middle Ages, which is generally accepted to have occurred from about 500 to 1500 C.E., after the fall of the Roman Empire until the Renaissance Era (14th c. to 16th c.).  The following fiction by Canadian authors and/or illustrators generally falls into that time period and, although the Viking Age occurred during Medieval Times, I've chosen to prepare a separate a book list for it to keep this list more manageable. 

Medieval Times Fiction

After Hamelin
by Bill Richardson
Annick Press
227 pp.
Ages 10+
2000
The Pied Piper may have led most of the children from Hamelin, Germany, but two children escape: Penelope who has lost her hearing and Alloway who is crippled and falls behind the parade of children.  It's up to Penelope to find a way to return the children to their homes.

The Alchemist's Portrait
by Simon Rose
Tradewind Books
134 pp.
Ages 8-12
2003
Michael's school trip to the museum has him recruited to help Peter Glimmer who is trapped in his own portrait in a museum, courtesy of his evil alchemist uncle in 1666.

Attack by Knight (Looney Bay All Stars series)
by Helaine Becker
Illustrated by Sampar
Scholastic Canada
66 pp.
Ages 7-9
2006
When two quarreling knights time-travel to the time of the Looney Bay All Stars, the kids challenge their rivals, the Trinity Bay Marauders, to a lacrosse match.

Betrayed: The Legend of Oak Island
by Christopher Dinsdale
Napoleon
292 pp.
Ages 10+
2009
Prince Henry Sinclair of Norway, Earl of Orkney, and Knight Templar is in possession of a unique gift that he intends to use to uphold peace in the world, unlike the warring European kings who would sacrifice all for it.  With the help of an unusual assortment of new allies, Prince Henry heads westward to the lands discovered by the Vikings to keep the treasure safe.

A Company of Fools
by Deborah Ellis
Fitzhenry & Whiteside
191 pp.
Ages 9-14
2002
In 1336, at the Abbey of St. Luc, Henri, a studious choir boy, and Micah, a rebellious choir student, join forces to become the Company of Fools, a group that aims to cheer the people dealing with the deaths from the Black Plague.

There Will be Wolves: The First Book of The Crusades
by Karleen Bradford
HarperCollins
185 pp.
Ages 10-12
1992

Shadows on a Sword: The Second Book of The Crusades
by Karleen Bradford
HarperCollins
249 pp.
Ages 10-12
1996

Lionheart's Scribe: The Third Book of The Crusades
by Karleen Bradford
HarperCollins
204 pp.
Ages 10-12
1999

The Scarlet Cross: The Fourth Book of The Crusades
by Karleen Bradford
HarperCollins
169 pp.
Ages 10-12
2006

Angeline: The Fifth Book of The Crusades
by Karleen Bradford
HarperCollins
180 pp.
Ages 11-15
2004
Karleen Bradford's extraordinary historical fiction series follows the lives of young people from France, England and the Holy Roman Empire who are compelled or choose to join the Crusades to liberate the Holy City of Jerusalem.

Crusades: Kids @ The Crossroads
by Laura Scandiffio
Illustrated by Tina Holdcroft
Annick Press
72 pp.
Ages 9-11
2009
Follow the blog posts of a child from 1212 recreating the adventures, lifestyle and context from the time of the Crusades.

Garth and the Mermaid
by Barbara Claassen Smucker
Penguin
135 pp.
Ages 8-12
1992
When young Garth is hit by a car while trying to keep a classmate from injury, he awakens from unconsciousness as a young peasant on a medieval estate in East Anglia, familiar to him from the Middle Ages he is studying in school.

Ghosts in the Churchyard: A Medieval Adventure
by Marty Pullin
Illustrated by John Richer

Sheffield Museum Publishing

151 pp.

2005

In 13th century England, the village of Tintinhull is robbed on the night when children, including twins William and Emily, await the appearance of a ghost in the churchyard.  The twins use their new psychic gifts to solve the mystery that has ghosts (good and evil), brawling, sheriffs and suspicion getting in the way.  Maps, a glossary and much discussion of medieval society enhance the story.  For those who prefer a shorter book without the supernatural characters of Ghosts in the Churchyard, a second version called Peasants and Thieves is also available.

The Heretic's Tomb
by Simon Rose
Tradewind Books
165 pp.
Ages 8-12
2007
After she discovers an unusual amulet at the archaeological site of the tomb of Lady Isabella Devereaux, a woman decried as a heretic in 1349, Annie finds herself time-travelling back to the time of the Black Death.

Jayden's Rescue
by Vladimir Tumanov
Scholastic Canada
123 pp.
Ages 8-12
2002
The evil sorcerer-king is holding Queen Jayden captive in his castle and only Sam and Alex can save her. This is the plot of the book that Alex is reading but he begins to understand that Jayden is real and actually does need his help. A series of math problems help propel the story, all in aid of Jayden's Rescue.

The Mystery of the Medieval Coin
by A. D. Fast
Vanwell or Tea Leaf Press
157 pp.
Ages 8-11
2004

To Save a King (sequel to The Mystery of the Medieval Coin)
by A.D. Fast
Vanwell
157 pp.
Ages 8-11
2004

In The Mystery of the Medieval Coin, Lucas, Marvin, and Nicole are perplexed by the strange behaviour of their history teacher, Mr. LeClair.  They follow him to an ancient cave and time-travel back to France in the Middle Ages.  With the medieval coin from The Mystery of the Medieval Coin, the three children return to 1450 France in To Save a King, again to outwit their teacher, but this time to save King Charles VII.

Neil Flambé and the Crusader's Curse
by Kevin Sylvester

Simon & Schuster Books for Young People

978-1-44244-408-9

291 pp.

Ages 8-14

2012

Ever since the 1200's, the ancestors of teen chef Neil Flambé have been cursed.  Now, just having turned 15, Neil finds his glorious dishes taste worse than sawdust and his restaurant's re-opening is doomed to fail.

On a Medieval Day: Story Voyages around the World
by Rona Arato
Illustrated by Peter Ferguson
Maple Tree Press
96 pp.
Ages 10-12
2010
Rona Arato does a superb job of recreating the Medieval Times through a series of fictitious accounts by young people who lived in Europe, Africa, the Far East and Vinland during these times.  Additional information supports each story.

The Princess Pawn
by Maggie L. Wood
Sumach Press
299 pp.
Ages 11-14
2003
Willow is transported to the fantasy world of Mistolear, in which she is a princess with magical powers.  In Mistolear,  a fairy tale setting with castles, knights, princesses and medieval society, Willow is part of a mystic chess game for control of the universe.

Seeds of Time
by K. C. Dyer
Dundurn
256 pp.
Ages 10-13
2002
After a motorcycle accident in which her father is killed and she has part of her leg amputated, Darrell is sent to the Eagle Glen art school from which she time-travels to the 1300's.

Sir Fartsalot Hunts the Bogger
by Kevin Bolger
Razorbill/Penguin
215 pp.
Ages 9+
2008
After prankster Prince Harry convinces an aging knight, Sir Fartsalot, the lover of all turnip dishes, that the dreaded Booger is threatening the kingdom, his father sends him to accompany the knight on a quest for the Booger.  With a story rife with puns and humour, Prince Harry learns much about gallantry, chivalry and heroism.

The Sorcerer’s Letterbox
by Simon Rose
Tradewind Books
114 pp.
Ages 8-11
2004
Jack discovers a letter in a drawer and finds himself corresponding with Edward V, one of the princes imprisoned in the Tower of London in 1483. After penning a reply, Jack finds himself trapped in late medieval England.
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Follow-up lists will include young adult and non-fiction titles dealing with the Middle Ages.

Also, if you know of any other books which you think are appropriate for this book list, please contact me so that I may consider adding them.