Dragons in the Waters [Hardcover]

Madeleine L'Engle (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 1976

A thirteen-year-old boy's trip to Venezuela with his cousin culminates in murder and the discovery of an unexpected bond with an Indian tribe, dating from the days of Simâon Bolâivar.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"On board the freighter Orion sailing for Venezuela are Polly, Charles, and their scientist father, Dr. O'Keefe, along with Simon Renier and his uncle Forsyth Phair, an assortment of intriguing travelers, and a small crew." --Starred, Booklist

From the Publisher

A stolen heirloom painting...a shipboard murder...Can Simon and the O'Keefe clan unravel the mystery?

Thirteen-year-old Simon Renier has no idea when he boards the M.S. Orion with his cousin Forsyth Phair that the journey will take him not only to Venezuela, but into his past as well. His original plan--to return a family heirloom, a portrait of Simon Bolivar, to its rightful place--is sidetracked when cousin Forsyth is found murdered. Then, when the portrait is stolen, all passengers and crew become suspect.

Simon's newfound friends, Poly and Charles O'Keefe, and their scientist father help Simon to confront the danger that threaten him. But Simon alone must face up to his fears. What has happened to the treasured portrait? And who among them is responsible for the theft--and the murder? --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 304 pages
• Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR); First Printing edition (April 1, 1976)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0374318689
• ISBN-13: 978-0374318680
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.4 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.9 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,505,587 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Madeleine L'Engle, the popular author of many books for children and adults, has interspersed her writing and teaching career with raising three children, maintaining an apartment in New York and a farmhouse of charming confusion which is called "Crosswicks."

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Touching and engaging, June 2, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Dragons in the Waters (Laurel-Leaf Mystery) (Paperback)

"Dragons in the Waters" is a good book. It has a mystery buried in it and you can easily start to like the characters. Madeleine has always been a very good writer and I appreciate her gift of comforting a person through her writing. "Dragons in the Waters" is about a young boy, Simon; a mysterious cousin; and an ancestor of Simon's that has a mystifying past. The book tells of Simon's adventures on a ship called the Orion, where he meets the O'Keefe family. At first things seem quite simple, but the plot quickly thickens and pulls you into the story. A good book to be read by young adults or to be read to younger children and many adults may like it, as well. If you like Madeleine's writing and her other books, I doubt you'll be disappointed with this story.

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic read for all ages!, December 8, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: Dragons in the Waters (Laurel-Leaf Mystery) (Paperback)

I "re-met" the O'Keefe's while searching for books for a neice. What a treasure! Expecting to find books aimed for an adolescent (the age I was when last I spent time with the Murray's and O'Keefe's), I was charmed and entranced by the story of Simon, Poly and Charles and their adventure together.

The book is well written and thought-out, with exceptional character development. Each has a complete and interesting history that takes the reader right in; a history that's not dependant upon having kept up with the series (which I have not). I felt perfectly familiar with all of the characters based upon what I was reading and not what I'd read 20 years ago.

I thoroughly enjoyed the story, setting and treatment of the subject matter, and wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys an adventure, be they first-time or long-time readers of Ms. L'Engle's.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Dragons?, November 17, 1999

By 

A. B. L., Mass (MA, U S A) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dragons in the Waters (Hardcover)

I was pretty disappionted when I realized that their weren't any dragons in this book, but that dissapiontment soon vanished. I found the book to be thick with suspense and description. All the characters were so real, I'm sad to see that Simon doesn't re-enter any other books, and to see how happy Poly was as a child, it was a shock to read The Arm of a Starfish. A wonderful Book.