Danny and Life on Bluff Point
Lost in the Dark
by Mary Ellen Lee

Format: Paperback
Size: 0.53" x 8.31" x 5.46"
Pages: 181
ISBN: 1891929879
Published: Four Seasons Publishers Sept-2002

Reviews

Full of Adventures
-from TCM-CA.com by Tami Brady
Danny and Life on Bluff Point: Lost in the Dark is the third book of the Danny and Life on Bluff Point series. This fictional series is based upon the real journals of the author's grandfather. The main character of the story is the author's father Danny. Danny is ten years old and dreams about being tall and strong like his father. The boy has an older sister Ruthie who used to be a lot of fun but now is more interested in girly stuff and two younger sisters Mary and Carolyn who are still just a little too young to be a friend to Danny. In each book, Danny shares his dreams and adventures as well as his challenges and successes. Thus, each book actually contains several smaller stories that lead up to a main dramatic event.

Lost in the Dark begins immediately after the adventure closes in the second book. Miss Spaulding the teacher, is still living with the Lee's but Danny has accepted her presence as a way to gain more responsibility.

This book is full of ice adventures. Danny goes ice fishing. He also works with the men during annual ice harvesting (driving the horse team no less). His quick wit actually makes him a bit of a hero. The biggest surprise in the story is when Danny's Dad and Uncle Jerome build another ice sail boat just for Danny. While using the ice sail boat, Danny starts to daydream, gets distracted, and finds himself in a really frightening situation.

Told Vividly and with Authenticity
-from AllBookReviews.com by Julie Falkner
Imagine turning the pages of a journal written by your grandfather, and reading of the childhood adventures and pranks of your father and your aunts. What wonderful insights into a now-forgotten time you would gain! Author Mary Ellen Lee is fortunate to be the proud guardian of her grandfatherÕs journal, and its stories of family life have inspired her series of historical novels for children. "Lost in the Dark" is the third in the series.

Danny lives on a farm in the Finger Lakes region of New York. He loves life on the farm, even if his sister Ruthie can be exceedingly annoying at times and he worries about being too small to help with some of the chores. Although the work is ongoing thereÕs also much fun to be had in the winter of 1895: ice fishing and pig roasting, listening to GrandpaÕs stories of the war, helping the men to harvest ice from the lake, and especially learning how to sail a new iceboat. But Danny has a weaknessÐheÕs a daydreamerÐand when on day his lack of concentration gets him into real trouble, he has an important lesson to learn.

DannyÕs story is told vividly and with authenticity. This gentle tale of farm life in an earlier century will be greatly enjoyed by children interested in American history.

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Mary Ellen Lee is a children's author of historical novels. Her books are targeted for children age 8 - 12. The author enjoys writing childrens books and feels there is a great need for American historical books written for this age group. You can't understand current events if you don't know the past.

This series of childrens novels will include New York State and national history, overcoming a challenge, solving conflicts, importance of family and neighbor cooperation, the need for setting goals, and do unto others as you would have them do unto you. These children's books will show students that reading historical novels can be fun and informative.