HANNAH & THE SPINDLE WHORL
When 12-year-old Hannah Anderson finds a beautiful Coast Salish spindle whorl in a cave near her home in Cowichan Bay on Vancouver Island, she is thrilled to begin learning about the history o the native people on Canada's west coast. But Hannah soon discovers that the spindle whorl is more than just an interesting artifact. Led by a mystical raven, she is mysteriously transported back some 150 years where she meets Yisella, a young Cowichan girl.
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It is here in the village of Tl'upalus that their true adventure begins. Together they experience the devastating events that came with the arrival of the European settlers and uncover the real reason why Hannah and Yisella were meant to meet.
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Click to read more about Hannah & the Spindle Whorl.
WINNER OF A 2011 SILVER MEDAL - MOONBEAM CHILDREN'S BOOK AWARD
“A remarkably vibrant novel that links friendship and native history across time.”
—Ann Walsh
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“Hannah’s mysterious trip through time is an absorbing adventure, including her near-death experience in a raging river; an encounter with a Sasquatch (or was it?); an unexpected creative gift revealed; a tragic smallpox outbreak; and friendship . . . Hannah and the Spindle Whorl is engrossing good fun and would be a treat for young (and young at heart) readers this Christmas.”
—Vancouver Sun
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“Carol Anne Shaw tells a thoroughly enjoyable tale. Her characters are rich and original, and they allow us to be swept along in an engaging, fantastical tale spanning 150 years. Young readers will love Hannah, and they just might learn something along the way.”
—Cowichan Valley Voice
“Time travel is difficult to handle well. Here Carol Anne Shaw has fully succeeded. The choice of a local setting makes her tale all the more authentic so that the reader may appreciate that the magic of the journey is centered in that real world. It leaves a sense that magic can, and often does, lie in real places.”
—Deakin Newsletter
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“Hannah is a very fun, sympathetic and lively character, and her hometown and funky houseboat are memorable and convincing.”
—CM Magazine
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“Carol Anne Shaw has provided readers with an interesting look at Coast Salish culture. By using the spindle whorl as a central plot element, readers will learn about Canadian history, archaeological digs and the preservation of historical artifacts.”
—Resource Links
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“it so perfectly captured what it was like to be twelve”
—What If? Magazine
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“Hannah herself is a very likable character — inquisitive and sensitive, intelligent and tough, and yet not overly perfect. She’s still trying to cope with the loss of her mother from a car accident 2 years earlier, she lives on a houseboat, her dad’s a writer, and yet she comes across as a realistic typical 12 year old. . . . much more depth than a typical juvenile novel.”
—The Book Mine Set
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“Definitely a book I’d recommend for girls…”
—All Booked Up
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“Carol Anne Shaw weaves the past and present so unseen becomes the seen. Curling up with this book will be enjoyable and broaden youths’ view of history.”
—Anishinabek News