Napoli, Donna Jo. Storm.

Napoli, Donna Jo.  Storm.  Simon & Schuster  2014     368p  $17.99  ISBN 978-1-4814-0302-3        hs  Historical fiction  E-BN

Napoli has provided insight into classic folk tales by asking “what if” questions and postulating a background to the tales.  This time she tackles the flood and life aboard the Ark with Noah, his family, and the many animals.  Since details of life aboard ship are sparse in Genesis and Jewish literature, Napoli is free to let her imagination fly.  This tale centers on the life of Sebah, who manages to climb to higher ground when the flooding begins.  The grisly opening scenes become slightly gentler, but this story of mental and physical survival is not for the faint of heart.  After drifting on a raft, Sebah encounters the Ark and manages to climb aboard with the help of two bonobos (apes).  Living in the animal cages and secretly observing Noah and his family as they come to feed the animals, she realizes that a taste of freedom is required not only for herself but for everyone on board, animals included. Sebah’s keen observations, her cunning, and her sixth sense about animals will fascinate animal lovers.  The attention to detail, both physical environment as well as mental duress, is superb.   This is a novel for action/adventure and animal lovers, as well as an intense look at the human condition.  It makes for compelling reading, yet without significant religious overtones.  This book includes an appendix with a timetable of the events described in  Genesis as well as a list for further reading.    

Summary: This is a captivating, tense drama/action/adventure story based on the flooding spoken of in Genesis and Jewish literature.  This book contains grisly scenes of survival juxtaposed with amazing acts of compassion as Sebah becomes a stowaway on the Ark. Gr 8-12.

Biblical tales-Fiction, The Flood-Fiction                   --Lois McNicol

Vasco da Gama.

Napoli, Tony. Vasco da Gama.
Enslow 2010 112p 31.93
Great Explorers of the World (Enslow)
978-1-59845-127-6 ms/hs VG-BN
Examines the life of explorer Vasco da Gama, including his childhood in Portugal, his three expeditions to India, opening up the spice trade, expanding Portugal’s empire and his legacy in world history. This biography of da Gama presents more detail and depth than students can expect to find in a general encyclopedia article, thus making it a good resource for research and for biography assignments. A description of Portugal’s maritime history lays the groundwork for a more thorough narrative of da Gama’s explorations. The focus is on da Gama’s three expeditions to India and how those expeditions were responsible for extending Portugal’s dominance around the world, both militarily and economically. Using a primary source, The Roteiro as well as other secondary sources, readers have a good understanding of the preparations, itinerary and events of da Gama’s historic first voyage that connected the West and the East by sea. Each of the voyages had its share of triumphs and mistakes, which makes for interesting reading. In addition to describing da Gama’s feats of bravery and courage, the author also discusses how da Gama’s successful voyages brought change to Portugal and how subsequent voyages by Pedro Avares Cabral and Joao da Nova set the stage for da Gama’s second expedition to India. Although during the intervening years between the second and third voyages Portugal strengthened its position and gained greater control of trade centers in the Far East, there were problems in the part of India that Portugal controlled, and so da Gama set sail for his third and last voyage to the Far East. Upon arrival he made many changes requested by the Portuguese king but after three months he became ill and died. Da Gama’s victories are tempered by his treatment of the native peoples of the lands he visited, which was not uncommon for explorers of his time. The nine chapters are each introduced by a full color illustration and numerous other full page and half page captioned illustrations and maps are included in each chapter. The timeline gives a brief description of the events associated with a date and voyage. Zajko,Rosanne