Bringing the Boy Home

Great book!

My nephews LOVE this book -- though they are somewhat reluctant readers, they couldn't put this one down. Nelson has written an original, adventurous story, with genuine characters and a satisfying end. I highly recommend BRINGING THE BOY HOME to kids and parents alike!

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Couldn't disagree more with VOYA

I have to say how surprised I was with VOYA'S review. I couldn't disagree more with this review. My 5th grade daughter and I read this book together. We had the chance to exchange our thoughts and views about the book. We both felt it was very thrilling and had a hard time putting this book down. I found it disconcerting to read that VOYA had given the ending away with their review. I consider both my daughter and I avid readers and we did not come to the ending conclusion until the end. I would highly recommend this book to both girls and boys in this recommended age group.B&N might want to change the order of such a negative review. Viewers, like me, want to hear about the positive FIRST, then maybe the negative. It would be too bad if they got a bad taste in their mouth about this book. I wouldnt want them to miss out on a such a great read!

Reviewed by Chelsea Swiggett for TeensReadToo.com

BRINGING THE BOY HOME introduces two unique boys as they approach their thirteenth birthdays. As tradition in their Amazon tribe, they must trek through the dangerous jungle as a test of their strength. If they survive after days alone in the Amazon, they will be united with their fathers for the very first time.

One boy, Tirio, now resides in America after being banned from his family and tribe for a birth defect that causes him to limp. As his birthday is approaching, however, his sixth sense picks up on signs that point him back to the Amazon and his tribe. He's going to take his test and prove himself a man - and prove his father wrong in the process.

The other boy, Luka, is going through rigorous training so that he'll make it out of the Amazon alive. All of his senses are working beyond perfect, and he seems to be on the direct path to success. That is, until tragedy strikes.

BRINGING THE BOY HOME is refreshing, well put-together, and completely original. The continuous suspense resulted in a fast, easy read, making it a book I'd recommend to reluctant readers as well as avid ones. The plot blended realism with fiction and fantasy, opening itself to all types of book lovers.

Good for All Ages

In the Takunami tribe that lives hidden in the Amazon rainforest, boys are trained from a young age for their soche seche tente, a test all boys of thirteen must pass lest they be banishes from the tribe. Two young boys grow up in completely different worlds. Tirio was cast from the Takunami tribe because of a disability and now lives with his adoptive parent Sara in the United States. But as his thirteenth birthday approaches, he is beginning to feel a deeper connection to his first home in the Amazon. Luka¿s mother has extensively prepared him for the test he is to undergo when he turns thirteen and refuses to let anything get in the way. Luka is certain he will be able to pass the test, but his mother¿s plans go awry when his father dies, severing the connection that was supposed to help him during his test of manhood. And somehow, these two boys, Tirio and Luka, are connected in unexpected ways. I know that Harper Collins classifies this novel as a children¿s book, but I most definitely think it should be part of the young adult genre. This coming-of-age story was extremely unique, and I loved how many cultural aspects of Amazonian tribes (even if they were partially made-up) were integrated into the story. I really loved how nature was such a big part of the story. Both Luka¿s and Tirio¿s struggles were very realistic, especially each boy¿s yearnings to know his father. And I was very shocked by Luka and Tirio¿s connection, but pleased with how the ending tied up all the loose ends. I thoroughly enjoyed N.A. Nelson¿s debut novel and recommend it to all readers.

Amazing!

I knew from the first page that this would be an amazing read and it was. The magic and real blend together for a tale that is unforgetable!