The Captive [Hardcover]

Scott O'Dell (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 24, 1979

As part of a Spanish expedition to the New World, a Jesuit seminarian witnesses the enslavement and exploitation of the Mayas and is seduced by greed and ambition.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A superbly written novel, rich in plot and historical detail." School Library Journal, Starred

About the Author

Scott O’Dell (1898–1989), one of the most respected authors of historical fiction, received the Newbery Medal, three Newbery Honor Medals, and the Hans Christian Andersen Author Medal, the highest international recognition for a body of work by an author of books for young readers. Some of his many books include The Island of the Blue Dolphins, The Road to Damietta, Sing Down the Moon, and The Black Pearl.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 12 and up
  
• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children (October 24, 1979)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0395278112
• ISBN-13: 978-0395278116
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.9 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.1 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #953,183 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Scott O'Dell (1898-1989), one of the most respected authors of historical fiction, received the Newbery Medal, three Newbery Honor Medals, and the Hans Christian Andersen Author Medal, the highest international recognition for a body of work by an author of books for young readers. Some of his many books include The Island of the Blue Dolphins, The Road to Damietta, Sing Down the Moon, and The Black Pearl.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An exciting introduction to the Maya and conquistadores., February 8, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Captive (Hardcover)

I am a fifth grade teacher from Arlington, Virginia who could not put it down. My class loved it and we found the two sequels, The Feathered Serpent and The Amethyst Ring. They have the hero encountering the Aztecs and the Incas. It is an amazing introduction to the early Central American civilizations. Read all three.

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Get to Know the Aztecs and Mayans!, October 16, 2001

By 

J. Kerschner (Wheaton, IL United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Captive (Hardcover)

Scott O'Dell is one of the very best writers of historical novels for ages 10-15. This one is an engrossing adventure in the world of the Mayans and Aztecs at the time of the conquistadores. Most readers will want to continue with the sequel, The Feathered Serpent. This saga is not for children under 11; expect to encounter human sacrifices and slavery, shipwrecks and gold-lust, but readers will come away with a real sense of the people and their times.

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars wonderfully written!, July 23, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: The Captive (Hardcover)

This book is a rare find that can be useful for a teaching tool. I teach fifth grade and during the year we study about the Mayas. When I found this book I was reluctant to read it. Once I started I could not stop. Scott O'Dell has uniquely woven a great story around a fascinating character. The story includes topics of survival, friendship, slavery and religion. I have also read the sequel to this book, The Feathered Serpent , this was as well an exceptional piece of children's literature.