River Boy facts for kids
Front cover of a 2006 edition
|
|
| Author | Tim Bowler |
|---|---|
| Cover artist | Jason Friend |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Young-adult novel, supernatural fiction |
| Publisher | Oxford University Press |
|
Publication date
|
1997 |
| Media type | |
| Pages | 135 pp (first edition) |
| ISBN | 978-0-19-271756-6 |
| OCLC | 787800429 |
River Boy is an exciting novel for young adults written by Tim Bowler. It was first published in 1997 by Oxford University Press. This story is about a teenage girl who is learning to cope with a very difficult time in her family.
The book won the important Carnegie Medal in 1997. This award is given to the best children's book by a British subject each year. River Boy also won the 1999 Angus Book Award. In 2000, the book was published in the United States by Margaret K. McElderry Books, which is part of Simon & Schuster.
Contents
What's the Story About?
The main character is Jess, a fifteen-year-old girl who loves to swim. She is very close to her Grandpa, who is a strong-willed artist. He can be a bit grumpy sometimes!
Grandpa's Last Painting
When Grandpa becomes very ill, he insists on going back to the quiet valley where he grew up. He wants to finish his last painting there. This painting is a mysterious landscape called 'River Boy'. Jess knows her Grandpa is dying, and she tries her best to help him finish this important artwork.
Meeting the River Boy
While exploring the valley, Jess feels a strange presence. She starts seeing a mysterious boy in the river. He appears and then disappears quickly. When Jess finally meets the boy, he gives her some surprising advice. This advice helps Grandpa finish his painting, even though it seemed impossible.
A Challenge and a Revelation
In return for his help, the boy challenges Jess to swim with him. They would swim down the river from its very start all the way to the sea, which is over forty miles! Jess says no because she wants to stay with her Grandpa. She then watches the boy dive into the river from a waterfall.
Soon after, Jess hears stories about her Grandpa when he was a boy. She suddenly understands something important. She decides to swim after the boy. She swims to the mouth of the river, where he is waiting for her. After this, the boy finally disappears.
The Painting's Secret
Jess then learns that her Grandpa has passed away peacefully. He left her his painting, 'River Boy'. Jess now realizes that the painting is not just a landscape. It is also a picture of the boy she met. It is a self-portrait of her Grandpa as a young boy.
Who Are the Characters?
Here are the main people you will meet in River Boy:
- Jessica (Jess): A fifteen-year-old girl who loves swimming and cares deeply for her Grandpa.
- Grandpa: An independent artist who is nearing the end of his life.
- Dad: Grandpa's son and Jess's father.
- Mum: Jess's mother.
- Alfred: A talkative neighbor who knew Grandpa when he was young.
- The river boy: A mysterious figure who helps Jess and her Grandpa.
