Red the River Rises

Crossley-Holland, Kenneth. Red the River Rises
October 20, 2026 by Candlewick

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

In 1066, Tor, the third son of Kind Harald Hardrada, has been sent as a scout with his best friend to see what is going on in England. Sadly, their boat, the Kittiwake, has crashed, and his friend is dead. Washed up on the beach, Tor decides to make his way to meet his father in Scarborough as planned. He manages to steal food, clothing, and a pony he names Skopti on his way, and secures a passage on a Norwegian-Irish boat with Matason. Tor decides it's in his best interest to pretend to be a fisherman from Orkney instead of giving away his royal lineage, especially since the English countryside is preparing to defend themselves. One of those worried about her fate is Kata, who lives in the village of Riccall, and whose mother has passed away after spent some time as a slave. She and Tor have an instant connection. Things don't go smoothly between the two; Oswald, a man from her town who is fond of her, fights Tor and hurts him badly. The two are separated, but mangaeg to find each other at various points. The two talk, and find out that their mothers knew each other when Kata's mother was in Norway. Since Harald is still determined to take York, there is a battle that doesn't end well, and Kata is devastated. She thinks about going North to connect with Tor's mother, but given her responsibilities in Riccall, might stay. 

Strengths: This was an interesting look at a portion of history about which there are not that many middle grade novels. The 7th grade curriculum in Ohio might touch on this era briefly, but it's not a time given much coverage in the US. Crossley-Holland's writing is rich with imagery, and he has lots of details of daily life. For readers who like action and adventure, there is plenty of unvarnished coverage of the difficulties of travel and the devastation of war. The cover is fantastic, and I have to admit that the title has such a ring to it that it made me pick up the book! 
Weaknesses: I miss the very particular sort of student who would have loved this, but I can't imagine handing this to anyone currently at my school. Readers of Flanagan's The Ranger's Apprentice series might be persuaded to pick it up, but the romance between Tor and Kata that is threaded through this isn't going to appeal to them. 
What I really think: This is the perfect book for readers who enjoyed White's 1958 The Once and Future King, Dragt's 1962 The Letter for the King, or Pyle's 1891 Men of Iron. This might be more successful in England, since the history is more applicable there. Crossley-Holland's 2001 The Seeing Stone was popular in my library in the early 2000s, but I weeded it years ago.