The White Gates [Paperback]

Bonnie Ramthun (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback
• Publisher: Random House Childrens Books (2008)
• ASIN: B002PNH90E
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)

More About the Author

Bonnie Ramthun is a Colorado wife, mother, and mystery novelist. Her novels for adults include Ground Zero, a thriller published by G.P. Putnam, Earthquake Games, a 2000 Colorado Book of the Year nominee, and The Thirteenth Skull. The White Gates, her middle grade mystery published by Random House in 2008, is a Junior Library Guild Premiere selection and was a finalist for the Missouri Truman Award. She is a former chapter president of Mystery Writers of America, a member of Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers, and former war gamer for the Department of Defense.

There are two cherished compliments that Bonnie Ramthun has received for her writing.

A reader wanted to know if the childhood events that happened to Eileen Reed in Earthquake Games had actually happened to Bonnie as a child. She considers this a high compliment - she made a lonely Wyoming car crash and an abandoned child so real that her reader thought it actually happened.

The second compliment was when a reader wrote her a letter and praised The Thirteenth Skull, Bonnie's third Eileen Reed book. The reader loved the novel and hated the villain so much that she thought he should have died more slowly. Bonnie will never forget this compliment either, for it means that she created a character so evil and so hateful that the reader wanted him to die...harder.

Bonnie's favorite stories are the ones where ordinary people are placed in world-changing events. The people who live in her stories are fictional, but she tries to make them so real you want to have coffee with them. Or kill them.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book for Boys who Love Sports, August 8, 2009

By 

K. C. Egan (Rhode Island) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The White Gates (Hardcover)

It is hard to find books for pre-teen boys to read and love. This book hit the mark. My son could not put the book down and commented that he wished the story would not end. He is very happy that a sequel could be in the works for the main character of the story. This book is highly recommended.

5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great chapter book, fun and fast!, December 10, 2008

By 

R. Tomich "wyohaygal" (Wyoming, USA) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The White Gates (Hardcover)

This book is a great story, and a great chapter book for someone looking for a book for a boy who likes reality fiction. Who wouldn't want to become a great snowboarder, solve a mystery, find friends and save his family? It is fun for adults, and would sound great read aloud. The town, the boarding, the mystery and each twist of the story is fantastic. I especially like the fact that it is a non-fantasy book, which appeals to a whole range of kids and parents. I think it is this year's best book.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome read! Great characters, Interesting plot., June 7, 2009

By 

Dolly (Superior, CO) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The White Gates (Hardcover)

A friend (who is a mom of two children) recommended this book for both me and my 9 yr old son to read. Once I started to read it, I couldn't put it down. The mystery and colorfully quirky main characters captivated me. The author paints a vivid world for her reader - I didn't know much about snowboarding or what White Gates were and Ms. Ramthum managed to transform me into a snowboarder-wanna-be! My son is looking forward to reading it next and I am looking forward to our discussions about the mystery and choices the characters make.