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Title: The Lost Village of Central Park (Mysteries in Time) by Hope Lourie Killcoyne, Mary Lee Majno ISBN: 1-893110-02-8 Publisher: Silver Moon Pr Pub. Date: December, 1999 Format: Library Binding Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $14.95

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Average Customer Rating: 4.75 (4 reviews)

Rating: 5
Summary: A Lost Craft Re-Discovered in a Impressive First Work
Comment: I had though the art of captivating storytelling in the realm of children's historical fiction was long gone. The last and one of the best was Ben and Me. Not to mention the fact that intelligent prose directed toward but not insulting children has disappeared with the likes of greats like E.B. White, Judy Blume & Madeline L'Engle... until now that is. Meticulous research has allowed Hope Killcoyne to create a captivating historical backdrop that most New Yorkers weren't even aware of including myself. Even as the story unfolded I couldn't help feel a sense of sorrow knowing the timely end to what was probably a fascinating culture within the tapestry of NY. Nevertheless, Killcoyne takes what might have just been an interesting footnote in NY lore and weaves a modern folk tale of ingenious promise and heart. Characters well developed for any novel not to mention one for young adults, add depth and almost tangible realism to a time and era long forgotten and sometimes better off forgotten. Hope Killcoyne places her characters in a small pocket of the American landscape dwarfed by slavery and the dawn of Civil War allowing us to glimpse what might have been and what should be in a world too often blurred with self-interest and prejudice. Although some readers might be wary of the melodrama of a culturally diverse Utopia Killcoyne has pictured, there is nothing contrived about the story and intent behind this book. A highly recommended book for any young or old reader... from any walk of life.

Rating: 5
Summary: Seneca Village: History Should Always Teach Our Children
Comment: There are few opportunities offered our children to learn an important lesson about both our own past and our nature as individuals than that delivered by Hope Lourie Killcoyne in her gifted story, "The Lost Village of Central Park." Set in mid-nineteenth-century New York City, at the cusp of the construction of that seminal landmark of modern America, Central Park, Ms. Killcoyne's lyrical narrative traces the factual history of Seneca Village, a real establishment in which African-American and Irish immigrants somehow co-existed peacefully in pre-Civil War America. Creating compelling and believable characters, Ms. Killcoyne provides today's pre-teens with an invaluable and unique perspective on an important era in American social development, one which was cut curiously short by the idiosyncratic yet poetically inevitable advancement of New York City, through the creation of Central Park. The Park stands today, a monument to New York civic achievement; what is lost is Seneca Village, perhaps an even more meaningful yet necessarily ephemeral reflection of all that is possible, yet also lost, in the American dream.

Rating: 5
Summary: Good story, very educational... a good read for the kids.
Comment: Having lived in New York my entire life, I was surprised to find out about Seneca Village. I was never taught about the time, place, and events that surrounded the demise of that area of the city. The author successfully tells the story from the point of view of two young girls, one black and one white, and the strength of their friendship. It's a great way to teach children about their past. There's a lot going on here... plenty to use the characters again and turn it into a series. I'd certainly pick up the next one for my niece!