The Bronze Bow: A Newbery Award Winner – A Novel About Hate, Revenge, and Jesus's Message of Love for Kids (Ages 10-12)

I remember reading this as a kid in grade school. Rereading now at 64, I think it is a great read at any age. The character mix is great as each one is developed and the interactions between them is complex. As an adult, maybe some subtleties of the characters wouldn’t be as obvious when I was a child. The book is timeless as the main theme of the story is the “greatest love a person can show is to die for his friends” (Jn 15:13) and "Love your enemies." (Mt 6:27) these concepts are still problems today that show how little we have changed as we have become more “civilized.” Unbelievers do not comprehend that followers of Christ actually love their enemies and do not hate them. The story is something that can appeal to young readers but also adult readers making it a timeless story.

This is a wonder filled book with an intelligence into human nature. Our mortal hates, our hopes, our desires to change, our need to be in tune with deity are shown clearly in this book. I loved that our Savior changed the heart of Daniel in this book.

This is a superlative fiction book. Just great. Set in Galilee in the time of Jesus, this is the story of a young Jewish rebel who is won over to the gentle teachings of Jesus. It is not a preachy religious book, however. Daniel, the main character in this story, is picture of what happens when hate takes over your life. He is so full of hatred about the Roman occupation and the oppression of his people that he is blinded to the injustice that his original leader, Rosh, participates in, and the consequences of his absence from his family. He must learn what the responsibilities are and the nature of true leadership while he comes of age. I would recommend this primarily to young men, but young women will enjoy the strong female characters as well. Daniel and Joel will be identified with by young men who read this book. Their spirit and passion are attractive. Every man wants to have a cause so big they can die for it. Though some aspects of the story are a bit predictable they are not melodramatic, but rather heartfelt. Speare does not dip deep into pathos. Quotes: "Daniel bristled. He could not make this girl out. Was she for him or against him?" (79). "He had taken for granted that Leah had lost her wits on the terrible night of her childhood. Was he any better, he thought now with shame, than the neighbors who would have tied her with ropes?" (129) "Strong arms and muscles were easy to find. A fiery spirit was not so common" (137). "With irritation he saw that the water jar was empty and that he would have to stand in line at the well with the snickering women. He bent and picked up the jar, and the bars of his cage slid into place around him" (158).

We included this title for our 6th grade son's home school reading for the ancient history time period. You can read from other reviews what the book is about. My review is targeted for those using the book for education vs. entertainment. The book is an entertaining read. It held my attention and I have read so many books that a novel must be well-written for me to enjoy it. The flavor of the book reminded me a bit of Louis L'Amour's "The Walking Drum" - which was one of my favorite easy-read's for a long time. The book does a good job showing the character development of it's principle character. He goes from being selfish to being responsible for others. We see him change as he really opens his eyes to the world & people around him. One aspect I like about the book is that the author lets you "live" in the character's shoes. Kids will relate to the idealism, daring & comradery. As the main character grows emotionally & spiritually, we begin to see that life is much more dangerous, complex & frightening than a youth might appreciate. Your friends are not always your true friends and those who irritate you might be your salvation. The book has a strong element of Christianity which will appeal to those who are of that faith. Christ plays a somewhat significant role in the book. While I didn't nec. agree with the description of "the piercing eyes" and all that jazz..the book was able to portray that "God's ways are not our ways" and "God's thoughts are not our thoughts." In the end, the young man is able to let go of his hatred & live for the first time in his life at peace with God & man. I do recommend the book for it's readability & lessons, however I have it a 4 instead of a 5 because it is not heavy on history, not even as much as a Louis L'Amour novel is...or GA Henty. Hope this helps

"He was waiting for two figures to reappear among the boulders that tumbled on ether side of the path just above him. He was puzzled and uneasy, at odds with himself. Who were these two who had been so foolhardy as to climb the mountain?" That excerpt from page 1 reflects how the award winning storytelling immediately engages the reader into the historical fiction so appealing to readers from age 12 and through adult. Set in ancient Jerusalem. The feelings, struggles, and concerns of the characters are clearly described and relatable. The settings are described in vivid detail that transports the reader to a beautiful theater of the imagination. The author, Elizabeth George Speare is a multiple Newbery Award winner and author of "The Sign of the Beaver" and "The Witch of Blackbird Pond."

Meet expectation

Read and re-read since my childhood I love this book. I bought this as a gift to pass it on to someone else to love. Which they did.

Loved reading the kindle version of this book. Had a few misspellings but maybe that was in the original? Didn’t distract from the story in any way.

It is a wonderful book that all of our children have either read or had read to them. It is a beautiful story of letting go of anger and hatred. It is a Christian story in that the main character is able to let go after hearing Jesus speak. The majority of the story centers on the main characters journey into letting a desire for revenge encompass his life and what happens on that path.

This was an exciting and moving book that I read with my son. Very emotional and very thoughtful on many different levels. Not sure if my 12 year old son could understand at all the levels but it certainly had an impact.