Epic Historic Adventures: Fearless Frederic
Set in Paris during the flood of 1910, this is the story of how thirteen-year-old Frederic Lefosse and his friends, Thierry and Claire, not only survive the flood but help others, including a cat who is almost eaten by a crocodile. The flood caused great devastation throughout the city, backing up through manholes and sewers to inundate buildings over a wide area.
Frederic is mourning the death of his father, a guard at the Louvre, who was killed during a robbery, but he and his mother are forced by the flooding to leave their home and move to a shelter with many others in a nearby hall. There he makes two new friends: Thierry, a bookworm who has also lost his father, and Claire, a tough, practical girl who has no parents.
Together, the three try to assist others affected by the flood. Frederic, meanwhile, spots one of the robbers from the Louvre. Desperate to avenge his father’s death, he tries to take on the robbers himself but is forced to ask for the help of Thierry and Claire.
This exciting tale should entice young readers, especially boys, to start reading and keep going to the end. It has a freshness and engaging movement from one scene to the next. The contrast between Frederic’s comparative innocence and Claire’s hard-won life experience is especially notable. I recommend this as a gift for anyone trying to encourage young people to open and enjoy a book.
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