Night of the Fifth Moon

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Set in a mythical pagan age of the British Isles, this action-packed tale follows young Cet as he struggles to seize the magic of the druids for himself. At the age of seven, Cet watched as a druid forced his mighty father to surrender in shame. When he is of age and the young people of his village are sent out for training, Cet chooses a life of physical hardship in the forest, desperate to master the power of the druids. Six other children make the same choice, but only one will be selected as the druid's apprentice.From School Library JournalGrade 5–8—A richly woven story set in pagan Ireland. After his father loses his chieftain robes and title, Ket leaves his family to study as a fosterling under the direction of the druid. Five years later, he and the other five fosterlings are no closer to becoming his anruths, or assistants. But with the cry of a raven at the new moon, the druid decides that it is time for new beginnings and that one fosterling will be sent away each new moon until only two remain. Of those two, only one will be chosen to become an anruth. Though the characters are often stereotypical in their actions, Ciddor's attention to detail and knowledge of the setting drive the story forward. As it moves through the seasons, so, too, does the author's imagery, creating a world so tangible that readers can feel the chill of the wind and the frost underfoot during the long winter. Young people interested in a historical look at Celtic Ireland will love Night of the Fifth Moon.—Lisa Marie Williams, East Gwillimbury Public Library, Holland Landing, Ontario Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. ReviewA quality read for both boys and girls, and successfully combines magic, myths and legends with an air of adventure. School Librarian