Swamp : Bayou Teche, Louisiana, 1851

Survival! #11

by Kathleen Duey, Karen A. Bale

Bayou Teche, 1851
No one in Lily LeGrand's Cajun community is willing to help search for Paul Courville, missing in the bayou along with his mean-spirited older brothers, William and Mark. Why should they? Paul's wealthy plantation-owner father has made no secret of his disdain for Cajuns like Lily's family. But Paul has always been kind to Lily, defending her against his brothers' merciless taunts and humiliating pranks -- and Lily refuses to turn her back on him when his life is in danger.
On her own in the maze of the snake- and alligator-infested bayou, Lily knows she has more to fear than her father's wrath. Her treacherous journey will test both her knowledge of the swamp and her courage. Can she find Paul in time?

Genres: Historical Fiction, Middle Grade, Fiction

160 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 1999

About the author

Kathleen Duey grew up in Colorado. She loved riding her horses, hiking, being in the mountains. Reading was always important to her. Writing became a fascination early in her life. In the fourth grade, Kathleen began writing stories and told everyone who would listen that she was going to be an author. Then she did nothing about it until she was 35 years old. Writing was her passion and her dream-come-true.

from: fantasticfiction.co.uk

Kathleen died of cardiac arrest at her home in Fallbrook, California. She was 69. She had struggled with dementia in her latter years which prevented her from completing her Skin Hunger trilogy.

https://web.archive.org/web/202101052...

Reviews

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s 1851 in the Bayou Teche in Louisiana, and life isn’t fair for twelve-year-old Lily LeGrand or her Cajun community. Lily, born with a lame foot, has been cruelly bullied by the twin sons, William and Mark, of the Courville plantation, who follow in their father’s prejudiced footsteps. After Paul Courville, the younger son, befriends Lily against the twins’ latest painful prank, they haul him to the swamp where they abandon him, only to find themselves lost, too. When Lily hears that Paul has gone missing, she knows she can use her knowledge of the swamp to save him. Against her father’s orders, Lily sneaks out into the treacherous terrain filled with danger at every turn to rescue Paul—and finds even more than she expected. Young readers will be drawn into this thrilling story about a young heroine who selflessly fights to save her friend’s life.

[Abigaelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Small book but good story.

[Terry Filkohazi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another book that I didn't think I would finish. Paul and Lily should have left Paul's terrible brothers to fend for themselves. They certainly didn't worry about Paul when they left him!

[Jacqui · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 too much bullying

[Liz Logan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Popsugar: a character that is a different ethnicity than me

A fun, interesting read for a child who likes historical fiction.