The Dark is Rising is the second book of a five part, award-winning fantasy series by Susan Cooper. The Dark is Rising, which was first published in 1965, influenced a whole new wave of fantasy writers. According to the SuperSummary web-site, " the story focuses on eleven-yr-old Will Stanton, who learns on his birthday that he is what is known as an "Old One" -he is destined to wield the powers of The Light in an ancient struggle with the evil force, The Dark. The book explores "...themes of good vs. evil, the passage of time, fate vs. free will, and what it means to be powerful." Cooper is a great writer and the story is intriguing and contains great themes (such as perseverance and sacrifice to achieve a greater goal) which could be discussed and explored further in the classroom.
Verdict: good choice for Junior level. Does not contain any obvious objectionable material but magic and fantasy are central to the story.
LOVE this writer and series. Thrilled that my own kids are getting the chance to read it!
Janice C. Co. Roscommon
I am happy for our teenage boys to be reading this book as it is well-written and is exciting and should encourage them to delve further into the fantasy genre -hopefully Tolkien will be next haha!
James L. Co. Cork