Between the Covers: Stories from My Bookcase

Sunday, August 7, 2016

The Black Pearl by Scott O'Dell

My 3rd book for the 2016 is another Newberry Honor Book this time from the year 1968, Scott O'Dell's The Black Pearl. 


Cover art, no copyright infringement intended

This book tells the kind of story that captivates a young one's imagination and keeps him/her turning the page to find what happens next. It had somewhat of that effect on me, but being two or three times the age of the target demographic, I didn't quite finish reading in one sitting. I enjoyed it, nonetheless. 

Ramon worked with his father in trading pearls. They owned a fleet that went out to sea to get pearls, and then come back to sell them. Apart from what their fleet brings home, other people also come to their shop to sell their finds. 

At 16, Ramon felt that it was time for him to take a more active role in the family business. One day, he demanded his father take him with the fleet so he too can go out and seek the pearls. His father agreed but he didn't get to do the tasks he thought he would do. 

He wanted more. And if his father wasn't about to let him learn to dive for pearls, he was going to find a way to do it on his own. 

He succeeded and was able to bring home the Pearl of Heaven - a magnificent large black pearl. But the Indian Soto Luzon warned him that it belongs to the Manta Diablo who will demand it back one day.

This was just the beginning of an adventure for Ramon. The founding of the Pearl of Heaven brought in a new era for Ramon and he was never the same since. 





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