The Powder Horn of Mackinac Island

by Sandy Carlson

A middle grade time travelArianna’s family are proud new owners of a souvenir shop on Mackinac Island – the perfect place to make money for her paraplegic brother’s surgery. No motor vehicles are allowed on the island, but there are plenty of horses easily avoided, making the island safe enough for Luc to have mobile freedom in his wheelchair all summer long.When Arianna and Luc accidentally discover that a powder horn that’s been in their family for generations can send them back to 1793, they meet their great-great-great-great-great-grandfather, the person who carved the treasure map on the powder horn. How can the siblings convince their ancestor to let them in on its secrets? After all, they are family.To complicate matters, Luc finds he can walk there, back in the past. He doesn’t want to return to the present where the surgery is uncertain, and a wheelchair may be his life. Arianna must choose between discovering the family treasure and bringing and keeping her brother in the present.

160 pages, Paperback

Published February 15, 2017

About the author

*Also writes fantasy under S.L. Carlson.

Sandy has swum in oceans, climbed mountains, crossed deserts, outrun wildfires, branded cattle, and survived a seed tick attack.

She is a former teacher, was a 17-year member of SCBWI, and co-chaired 4 writers' conferences. She presents author and Victorian talks in schools, libraries, retirement communities, and more. (See her website.)

She has been to all but two states in the USA, but by August will have completed all 50. She's camped and backpacked in most, and now lives in Michigan with her husband. Their two sons are grown and flown. She has three grandchildren.

Reviews

[Rachel]

Sandy Carlson has done it again…brought the past to life with an amazing story which deals with change, upheaval, resilience, mystery, and time travel to boot. Enter the life of Arianna, Luc, and the ABC Club. Wonder silently and aloud with them about the mystery of the powder horn. Explore the amazing Mackinac Island, 1793 era. You won’t be disappointed with the characters, the plot, or the humor which is wonderfully interspersed throughout the story. I wholeheartedly recommend this historical fiction for kids of all ages, and their parents!

[S. Willett]

True, this is historical fiction with a sci-fi twist, but it is also an introduction, if you’ve never been there, to Mackinac Island in Upper Michigan. This is a unique place that allows no motorized vehicles. You either go by horse, bicycle, or on foot.

Author Sandy Carlson writes to capture the imagination and give a history lesson at the same time. I enjoy her many stories.

[J.Q. Rose]

My favorite place in the world is Mackinac (pronounced Mack-i-naw) Island. So I especially enjoyed the many beautiful places Ms. Carlson worked into her story. She cleverly included historical info throughout the book and did not write a huge information dump about the island and its history. The premise was believable because the characters were so believable. We follow the well-written feisty 13-year-old gal, Arianna, and her 10 year-old-brother, Luc. Ms. Carlson crafted a very special relationship between the siblings, I truly enjoyed the present time family's angst about establishing a souvenir shop on this tourist destination island and the kids' heart-thumping adventures into the past, I think middle grade children would enjoy it too. I'm not just saying that because I love visiting Mackinac Island or because I won the book in a contest. I believe kids-at-heart would also find this a fun story.

[Mike Koellhoffer]

"The Powder Horn of Mackinac Island" by Sandy Carlson was a wonderful middle grade novel about Ari & Luc's time travel adventures on Mackinac Island, MI. I really enjoyed the quick pace of the book and having a main character in a wheelchair. I also had a personal affection for the book because I grew up in a Chicago suburb and we had a summer home in Michigan. I remember fondly a couple trips we made to the island. (guess we were fudgies!) Plus I am a fan of the old Somewhere in Time movie. I like that students can read the book and enjoy the story, but also get a history lesson and a place that they can read about and possibly one day visit. 4.5 stars. This will be added to my classroom library come fall as it is a book that I think that young readers will really enjoy.

[Cheryl]

I won this book on Goodreads. It is a middle school book and enjoyable. Arianna's family own a souvenir shop on Mackinac Island and hope to make enough money to pay for her brother Luc's surgery that will enable him to walk again. They discover that a powder horn their family has owned can send them back to 1793. Luc finds he can walk in the past and they want their 5 times grandfather to let them in on secrets carved into the powder horn.