Available:*
Library | Call Number | Status |
---|---|---|
Searching... McMinnville Public Library | Christmas Paulsen | Searching... Unknown |
Searching... Monmouth Public Library | J Fic Paulsen, G. 1992 | Searching... Unknown |
Bound With These Titles
On Order
Summary
Summary
'Help me.'
When a young woman rushes into Sam Capra's San Francisco bar and whispers these desperate words, Sam feels compelled to help. A moment later she is attacked by two killers. With Sam's aid, she manages to overpower the men, saving his life in the process before vanishing into the night.
On discovering that one of the attackers is no mere thug, but, shockingly, one of the most powerful
investors in America, Sam searches for the beguiling young woman who asked for help and unearths a deadly network run by some of the most powerful and influential people in the world...
A gripping, addictive and exhilarating thriller from international bestseller Jeff Abbott, Downfall will keep you on the edge of your seat from the first page to the very last line.
Author Notes
Gary Paulsen was born on May 17, 1939 in Minnesota. He was working as a satellite technician for an aerospace firm in California when he realized he wanted to be a writer. He left his job and spent the next year in Hollywood as a magazine proofreader. His first book, Special War, was published in 1966. He has written more than 175 books for young adults including Brian's Winter, Winterkill, Harris and Me, Woodsong, Winterdance, The Transall Saga, Soldier's Heart, This Side of Wild, and Guts: The True Stories Behind Hatchet and the Brian Books. Hatchet, Dogsong, and The Winter Room are Newbery Honor Books. He was the recipient of the 1997 Margaret A. Edwards Award for his lifetime achievement in writing for young adults.
(Bowker Author Biography)
Reviews (3)
Horn Book Review
When a young child and his mother go to spend Christmas with relatives in Minnesota while his soldier father is overseas, the boy and his dying cousin have their faith in Santa Claus restored. The details of World War II America and of life in northern Minnesota ring with authenticity, but the story is saccharine and sentimental. From HORN BOOK 1997, (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
Tapping his sources for The Cookcamp (1991) once again, Paulsen tells another evocative story about a small boy alone with his mother during WW II. It could be the same boy, perhaps a year later, who describes their long train journey to northern Minnesota to visit an aunt and uncle who live behind their country store. The boy is troubled by doubts: Before they left Chicago, he glimpsed a mean old neighbor, Mr. Henderson, dressed in a Santa suit. Is it still worth trying to be good if Mr. Henderson is Santa, or if Santa doesn't exist at all? Also, the boy's slightly older cousin Matthew--bedridden and known to be dying--is a subduing source of puzzlement: The boy's father might die in Europe, meaning that he would never come home--but Matthew is already home. What, then, can dying mean? Skillfully and unsentimentally, Paulsen depicts the adults' grief as they prepare for Matthew's last Christmas through the perceptions of a narrator who is so young that he can't really comprehend, but is already a thoughtful and caring individual. The boys' friendly interaction--Matthew contrives games they can share and they worry together about Santa's existence--ring especially true. In the end, a Santa in whom the boys can believe does turn up; it's up to the reader to judge whether he's Uncle Ben's doing, or Paulsen's. A holiday heartwarmer that will appeal to a wide audience. Illustrations not seen. (Fiction. 8-12)
Booklist Review
Gr. 4-7. Once again, as he did in The Cookcamp [BKL Mr 1 91], Paulsen envisions a specific time through the eyes of an unnamed boy. As Christmas, 1943, approaches, the preschool child inadvertently makes two weighty discoveries, and this short novel intricately weaves them into a poignant emotional experience. First, an unpleasant neighbor of the boy, who dislikes children in general and the boy in particular, claims to be Santa Claus when caught dressed up as the holiday figure. Second, the boy's slightly older cousin Matthew, who doesn't believe in Santa, is dying. Because the boy's father is in Europe fighting the war, the boy and his mother travel to northern Minnesota to spend the holiday with Uncle Ben, Aunt Marilyn, and Matthew. While the boys savor the season as best they can, it is the adults who champion the theme that a willingness to believe can work miracles. Paulsen is a master of characterization and point of view. His ability to get inside the mind of a child and communicate his perceptions starkly, precisely and realistically is a powerful literary tool, and the descriptive first-person narrative paints a picture so vivid, no reader remains unmoved. --Deborah Abbott