Covenanting Country

Fact: Reading aloud is still an exciting family activity that engages young and old alike.  It's true!
We recently spent a week in South West Scotland, 'Covenanting country', and enjoyed some lovely relaxing evenings reading from 'The Two Margarets - Danger on the Hill' by Catherine Mackenzie. From 2 years old to 40*ahem*ish years old, we were each enthralled by the story of Margaret Wilson and Margaret MacLachlan and their faithfulness unto death.  Catherine Mackenzie excellently weaves a fictional story around the true facts known about the case of the two Margarets.  Margaret Wilson is only 18 years old and her siblings younger when they are forced to flee from their parents and comfortable home and hide from the authorities in the hills surrounding Wigtown.  With large sums promised as a reward for their capture they are eventually betrayed by a family friend and handed over to the authorities.  The strength of their faith was incredible in the face of such circumstances and this is vividly portrayed in the story. Visiting Wigtown and the scene of such atrocities and spotting signposts with farm names and local areas from the story served to really bring the truth of it all home to the children.  Even if it is not possible to visit the area, the story will still take you back to that time & place and hold you there with bated breath to see what the outcome will be.
The Two Margarets - Danger on the Hill by Catherine Mackenzie, also available as an eBook. This book is part of the Torchbearer series which are all fictionalized biographies of martyrs.
Incidently, our eldest son badgered us to go to this part of the country after being inspired by the Crown & Covenant series a historical fiction series about the Covenanting times - a brilliant series for boys.
Lorna

Duncan's War

I don't tend to review children's books, leaving that safely in Lorna's hands. However I picked this book up as she was badgering me to have a look at it to decide whether to stock it or not. It is Christian fiction, the first book in a 3 part series on the Covenanting times in late C17th Scotland, aimed at age 11+. The author is Douglas Bond, who is a history teacher in the USA, and it is published by P & R for £7.95. I'm afraid my initial reaction was along the lines of 'hmm, another romanticised American take on British history...and trying to represent Scots accent within the dialogue as well...no chance!' But my scepticism was largely overcome when I got down and read it. I started halfway through an evening and didn't put it down until around midnight. Yes, it was gripping stuff. The history is woven in a reasonably unforced manner into the tale, which is quite difficult when you consider the complexity of it - rights and wrongs, 'goodies' and 'baddies' are not always clear cut. There is colour in this book, the character, beliefs and practices of the Covenanters are brought out, but also the struggle within the hero himself between external religion/culture and personal faith. A good theme is stressed - the biggest battles are within. I particularly appreciated the quotes that pop up from Samuel Rutherford, which give young people a little taster of his sublime writings. All in all, it might be one for the boys rather than the girls - plenty of action and warfare etc, but I wouldn't want to get into hot water over labelling it in this way. Recommended.

Jeremy