Mom and dad decided to move us from our home in California to middle-of-nowhere Washington state. Goodbye forever, best friends!
Exploring our sopping wet new neighborhood, our weird “sort of” new friend, my sister and I discovered Four Notch. Was the legend true that it could take us back in time? I know it sounds crazy but we figured it out. Went back to the time of the sawmills. Very strange and pretty exciting until we got found out and had to cut and run back home. We were definitely going to try again.
But then, out of nowhere, my parents decided I needed to pick strawberries every day because dad’s work was having money troubles. I’m just a kid! What the heck? After two weeks I had all I could take. I hatched a plan to escape using Four Notch. But I decided to go way back, before the white man was here. What could possibly go wrong?
I’ve lived with the Suquamish people for four months now and I’ve tried again and again to get back home and... it just doesn’t work any more! I really miss my family and I don’t know if I'll ever figure out the secret of Four Notch and get back home...
Assessment:
Plot/Idea: Sabin keeps readers engaged throughout this novel with a steady pace and appealing action, although the story is lacking in compelling twists. She alternates between past and present under the guise of a time portal, offering Danny’s story in contemporary and historical settings. The finale satisfyingly brings the story together.
Prose: The strongest element of Sabin’s prose is its authenticity for the intended audience. Dialogue flows smoothly, adding to the plot points, and vivid imagery is sprinkled throughout to provoke deeper meaning.
Originality: The use of a time portal is typical for this genre, but Sabin successfully melds two opposing cultures together through the eyes of her engaging and relatable characters.
Character Development/Execution: Danny’s character is moderately developed, although readers may want more exploration of his vulnerability and a bigger emphasis on his inner life. Mr. Wolf comes across as almost too understanding, giving him a compliant air that sacrifices the true weight of his struggles.
Date Submitted: April 25, 2022
Tracy Sabin’s ‘The Secret of Four Notch’ is a welcome addition to Sabin’s children’s books as he writes for a new audience. In an absorbing adventure written for pre and early teens, Sabin begins to address the minefield of growing up and all it entails, from accepting change and new responsibilities to the concept of working for a living.
Caught up in his parent’s plans to move to Washington State, protagonist Danny is less than happy. Unable to shake his dismay at being ripped from his childhood home just as the summer holidays are about to begin, his mood motivates his actions as they spin out of control, culminating in a costly and terrifying mistake. Nevertheless, valuable lessons are learned and all is well in the end.
Interweaved with historical content, Sabin’s tale moves between the past, present and future with Danny as he resists change, pushes against responsibilities, and deals with difficult and even mean personalities. His reactions and subsequent experiences teach valuable lessons about negotiating the changes between child and adulthood.
Whilst Sabin does not hold ‘The Secret of Four Notch’ up as historically accurate, it is clear that extensive research has created an authentic representation of past times, with fascinating embedded detail of lived experiences, and how one time has impacted another. This valuable inclusion teaches both human history and its lessons as it brings the young reader closer to our natural habitat and an understanding of how close cooperation with our environment reaps optimal rewards whilst maintaining the earth for future generations.
However, despite its valuable content, ‘The Secret of Four Notch’ is written in an easy, accessible and enjoyable style for its target audience. With charming and thoughtfully drawn illustrations introducing each chapter, ‘ The Secret of Four Notch’ is a well-presented tale brimming with historical knowledge and interesting detail.
Tracy Sabin's new middle-grade historical/fantasy/time-travel novel is now available from Amazon and AppleBooks. The Secret of Four Notch places its characters in three distinct periods of Pacific Northwest history where they find themselves living the experience of those times, providing a unique narrative of contemporary characters in settings from dramatically different times and cultures. The Secret of Four Notch explores the impact of colonialism on an indigenous culture, the effect of unconstrained development on the environment, the importance of persistence and resilience in the face of rapid change and the powerful role of friendship when developing coping skills in a rapidly changing world.
