Books with author Arthur Catherall

A normal day in the life of those who live on the small, rocky island of Mykines in the Faroes Islands is demanding enough. However, nothing will ever compare to the unforgettable one that comes to the island one blustery fall day, especially for young 16-year-old Sven Klakk. What begins as a quiet day of fishing, with Sven enviously watching the men using fleygs (fowling nets) to catch birds on the cliffs high above him, ends in a tumult of suspense and terror. A force ten gale; a damaged ship in danger of smashing up on the rocks of the island most of the crew call home; a handful of women, old men, and one 16-year-old boy, to rescue the desperately helpless men...Then, when it seems impossible for things to get any worse than they already are they do! Arthur Catherall, a master of suspense, once again skillfully weaves an authentic tale of courage and suspense.

A normal day in the life of those who live on the small, rocky island of Mykines in the Faroes Islands is demanding enough. However, nothing will ever compare to the unforgettable one that comes to the island one blustery fall day, especially for young 16-year-old Sven Klakk. What begins as a quiet day of fishing, with Sven enviously watching the men using fleygs (fowling nets) to catch birds on the cliffs high above him, ends in a tumult of suspense and terror. A force ten gale; a damaged ship in danger of smashing up on the rocks of the island most of the crew call home; a handful of women, old men, and one 16-year-old boy, to rescue the desperately helpless men…Then, when it seems impossible for things to get any worse than they already are—they do! Arthur Catherall, a master of suspense, once again skillfully weaves an authentic tale of courage and suspense.

There is more than frost in the air one early spring day in the Austrian Alps. Twelve-year-old twins Toni and Trudi are shoveling a path from their mountain farm to the road—through what they hope is the year’s last snowfall—when they see a red airplane beating away against the blue sky. Suddenly, there is an explosive sound and the twins see a man bailing out of the aircraft. They don’t know what to do—to attempt a rescue in the tricky spring conditions could well trigger an avalanche. Hurrying home, they realize the crashing plane has done just that, and their farmhouse is about to be engulfed. The twins work frantically to close shutters and prepare for the shock. The farmhouse stands, but the twins, their grandfather and the farm animals are trapped under tons of snow—and it is then that they remember the pilot. Could he have possibly survived? And will they?Arthur Catherall’s story of heroism and family strength, set in the 1960’s, demonstrates the timeless relevance in which any individual or group of persons might be called to overcome an obstacle with courage, cooperation and patience.

It is the ambition of 14-year-old Ibrahim to be a lighthouse-keeper just like his father, Abdul Hussein. Lighthouse Island, where he and his family live, is in a group of tiny islands in the Red Sea, some forty miles off the coast of Egypt. Ibrahim and his younger sister, Saa-la, are used to this quiet, isolated life. Though they are dismayed to get caught, with their indispensable donkey, Pasha, in an unexpected sandstorm while beachcombing on the neighboring Island of Kus, it does not frighten them. But once the wind stops raining down the fine yellow sand, far more alarming things begin to happen. The first sign of trouble occurs at the causeway that leads back to their home island. It is getting dark, and not only is no one there to watch for sharks as they cross over the submerged coral bridge, but the lamp in the lighthouse has not yet been lit! Though there are fewer ships since the war with Israel closed the Suez Canal in 1969, those that remain depend on the light to keep them off the islands’ shores. What could possibly have happened to father, helper Hassan and grandmother? In an ordeal that is to stretch over two days and nights, Ibrahim and Saa-la find themselves together working to surmount one difficulty, only to tumble right into another. In the final crisis, in which the lives of others hang in the balance, will faithful Pasha be the one called to pay the price for deliverance? In this tale, Arthur Catherall deftly employs his knack for keeping the reader at the edge of his seat, while at the same time drawing him into the colorful and authentic setting of a different culture and way of life.145-E$4.95Africa, 1960sOf interest for ages 9-up Read aloud for ages 6-up RL6Approximate to 140 print pagesKey words for subject search: Egypt, 1960’s, Red Sea, shipping, lighthouses, Suez Canal (closed from 1969-1974), adventure

When Sven sees that figure swept into the seas, he thinks instantly of his father who is the first mate on the schooner. He volunteers to go down the cliff in a desperate attempt to prevent the swimmer from being dashed against the rocks. But when he perilously reaches the bottom, Sven does not find either the hopeful or tragic ordeal he's expected; instead he is suddenly face to face with an intruder who will bring the whole island under a strange reign of terror in those last long-drawn-out hours of the storm. A force ten gale; a damaged ship and crew in danger of smash-up on the rocks of its own island home; a handful of women, old men, and one 16-year-old boy, Sven, to rescue them--when it seems impossible for things to get any worse than they already are on the small Faroes island of Mykines, they do! Arthur Catherall skillfully weaves an authentic tale of courage and suspense. Recommended for ages 8 to 12.