The King of Slippery Falls
Lewis lives in the small town of Slippery Falls, Idaho, where for some time he has dreamed of catching an enormous trout that lives in a small pool behind a waterfall. But on Lewis's sixteenth birthday, his adoptive parents hand him a letter that his real mother left with him in his baby basket. Lewis is shocked to discover that he is French and seemingly linked to French royalty.\ For Lewis, now unsure of his origin, fishing for the trout becomes a quest to discover who he really is. Just as...
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Lewis Hinton is in pursuit of two things--an elusive giant trout & his true identity. His adoptive parents, Martha & Avery Hinton, know they must let him search for clues about his past. His eccentric neighbor, Mrs Baderhoovernisterah, advises him to heed the plot twisters in life. His best friend, Amanda Dot, just wants him to fall in love w/ her. And the townspeople of Slippery Falls are determined to discover if the letter from Lewis's birth mother confirms the rumor--Is he descended from French royalty? Could this simple boy from Idaho really be a king?Amie Rose Rotruck - Children's LiteratureWhen Lewis Hinton finds out that he was adopted, things start changing in his life quickly. His parents reveal that a woman handed Lewis to them, along with a letter, and then ran away. The only clues Lewis has to his mother's identity is the fact that she had an accent and the letter mentions that his name is Louis Poisson. When Lewis finds out that his name may imply that he is a decedent of King Louis the Fifteenth and his mistress Jeanne Antoinette Poisson, the news spreads quickly around the small town of Slippery Falls. People start treating Lewis like he is royalty and he does not like the extra attention. Lewis's search for his identity parallels his search for a fabled fish of Slippery Falls. An accident while looking for the elusive fish helps the town pull together and help send Lewis on his way to find his roots. The tone of this book is unique; it reads like a fairly tale in some parts, yet it is always grounded in reality. A truly refreshing look at adoption and how it affects children. 2004, Scholastic, Ages 12 up.
\ Children's LiteratureWhen Lewis Hinton finds out that he was adopted, things start changing in his life quickly. His parents reveal that a woman handed Lewis to them, along with a letter, and then ran away. The only clues Lewis has to his mother's identity is the fact that she had an accent and the letter mentions that his name is Louis Poisson. When Lewis finds out that his name may imply that he is a decedent of King Louis the Fifteenth and his mistress Jeanne Antoinette Poisson, the news spreads quickly around the small town of Slippery Falls. People start treating Lewis like he is royalty and he does not like the extra attention. Lewis's search for his identity parallels his search for a fabled fish of Slippery Falls. An accident while looking for the elusive fish helps the town pull together and help send Lewis on his way to find his roots. The tone of this book is unique; it reads like a fairly tale in some parts, yet it is always grounded in reality. A truly refreshing look at adoption and how it affects children. 2004, Scholastic, Ages 12 up. \ —Amie Rose Rotruck\ \ \ \ \ School Library JournalGr 6-8-While fishing for an elusive giant white trout lurking in a river near his small Idaho town, 16-year-old Lewis Hinton, an adopted teen, stumbles across information that might link his biological parents to French royalty. He humbly reveals his discovery in confidence to his closest friend and undisclosed object of affection, Amanda Dot. Of course, she inadvertently begins to spin and spread a web of gossip that ultimately crowns Lewis as the unhappy "King of Slippery Falls." Throughout this calm backwoods novel, Hite weaves in an assorted bunch of offbeat and likable characters: a wise magilike elderly woman; a teenaged jet-setter whom Lewis fears has eyes for Amanda; and patient, believably caring parents who support Lewis's search for his heritage. Hite's rich language is rewardingly easy to follow. And while the often-predictable plot isn't exactly electrifying, Slippery Falls remains a solid, humorously enjoyable blend of fact and fish story.-Hillias J. Martin, New York Public Library Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.\ \ \ Kirkus ReviewsLewis "Poisson" Hinton dreams of catching the giant trout he's sure he's seen behind Slippery Falls. A mysterious letter he receives from his mother, signed "J.A. Poisson," seemingly links Lewis with King Louis XV and Madame de Pompadour. In a light, good-hearted tale about a boy abandoned at birth in search of glory and an identity, Hite offers a most unusual fish story with much to say about friends and community. When Lewis almost dies, readers see how much one young boy means to so many people. A likable protagonist, a mystery, a romance, a near-death in the roiling waters close to the falls, an elderly neighbor who saves his life, and a boy intent on life well-lived are the elements sure to hook many readers. (Fiction. 12+)\ \
