The Mystery of the Silver Statue
My dad, an author and teacher, publishes his first book!
The Mystery of the Silver Statue
Author: Raymond C. Perkins Jr.
Publisher/Date: Radiant Hen Publishing/2010
Number of Pages: 96
My dad, Raymond C. Perkins Jr, recently finished writing his first book, The Mystery of the Silver Statue, which was published by Radiant Hen Publishing in Coventry, Vermont. I’m a former Scholastic Kid Reporter, covering the 2005-2006 publishing year, and wanted to tell everyone about my dad's new book!
The story is set in modern times, but steeped in history. It is about two boys, B.T. Stevens and Jimmy Martin, who try to solve a real-life mystery surrounding Rogers' Rangers, a group of American soldiers who fought for the British during the French and Indian War.
In the fall of 1759, Robert Rogers and his men were ordered to attack and destroy the Native American village of Odanak in Quebec, Canada. The purpose of the attack was to stop Indian raids on English settlements along the Connecticut River.
History has it that during the attack, one of Rogers' men stole a silver statue of the Madonna that was given to the natives by their French allies. To this day, the statue has not been found.
My dad decided to write about Rogers' Rangers because he learned that Rogers' and his men had traveled through Northern New England after the attack on Odanak. He thought writing about local history would make a captivating story. Seeing that he's a middle school social studies teacher, I think that makes sense.
Not only is this book based on a true historical event, but the main characters are based on my two older brothers. B.T., the main character, struggles to overcome a serious disability with the help of his family and his best friend Jimmy. My dad says the story provides a valuable life lesson about battling adversity and believing in yourself—lessons valuable for kids of all ages.
It took my dad several years to write The Mystery of the Silver Statue, but I think it was worth the wait because this book is a good read.
He is currently working on a sequel to this book tentatively entitled Treasure. I think you’ll like his book, which is also available as an e-book through amazon.com.
PHOTO: Book cover Courtesy Radiant Hen Publishing
