The Silver Dagger by Allan Dwight

The Silver Dagger by Allan Dwight

First published by Macmillan 1959. My copy is by Acorn Books, paperback, 1963.

Upper elementary/jr high reading level. Historical Fiction.

About the Author:

From the dust jacket – “’Allan Dwight’ is a pen name for the husband-and-wife team of Turney Allan Taylor and Lois Cole Taylor, who have written many exciting adventure stories for young people. Their previous books include Drums in the Forest, The Silver Dagger, Guns at Quebec, and Soldier and Patriot: The Life of General Israel Putnam. Turney Allan Taylor, who recently wrote Morgan’s Long Rifles under his own name, was for twenty years a special writer on the staff of the Sunday edition of the New York Times. Lois Cole Taylor is at present senior editor with Walker & Company, and for many years was an editor with The Macmillan Company and senior editor with William Morrow & Co., Inc. The Taylors are long-time residents of New Jersey.”

I just recently read To the Walls of Cartagena, also by this husband-wife team. Excellent historical fiction.  And I have Guns at Quebec and Morgan’s Long Rifles, found at a used bookstore this summer, that I haven’t read yet but plan to soon.  If you enjoy historical fiction, or your sons do, I recommend this author.

The Story:

From the book cover – “Young Mark Woodbridge opened the door of his Connecticut farmhouse one wet spring evening in 1762 to a cloaked and sinister stranger who called himself Galvez – and thus began the adventure that was to change the whole course of his life. The appearance of Galvez triggered the discovery that Mark had inherited a hoard of treasure, buried somewhere in Cuba. To get there, Mark enlists with the Colonials, and together with his friend Simon he sails to that faraway island – right into the middle of dangerous intrigue. During the long siege of Morro Castle, and with the agents of the evil Galvez on his trail, Mark seeks for the hidden chest of jewels. Trapped and imprisoned, he escapes to find the treasure at last, and in finding it discovers something even more important.”

This story line is fast-moving, full of adventure and danger, and ends in a satisfying way. Mark matures as the story goes along, so that he begins to think before he acts, learns to value true friendships, and sees beyond riches to do what is right. The characters of the story are well-defined, both protagonist and antagonist. One can almost feel the oppressive heat of Cuba and sympathize with the desire for the New England home. Similar to the main character of the Henty novels, Mark gets into one scrape after another, yet always comes out on top. Still, if you have a son of upper elementary or junior high age, this adventure story may appeal to him.  The writing is similar in length, level and style to William O. Steele, Leonard Wibberley, and Stephen Meader, all great writers for boys.

Recommended additional books/resources to aid your studies:

Connecticut by Bernadine Bailey

Pirate Chase by Earl Schenck Miers

The Black Buccaneer by Stephen Meader

Unwilling Pirate by West Lathrop

Pirate – DK Eyewitness book

Indians of the Longhouse, the Story of the Iroquois by Sonia Bleeker

Cuba by Clifford Crouch

Cuba by Karen Jacobsen, A New True Book

Soldier and Patriot: Israel Putnam by Allan Dwight – he is briefly mentioned in the story

Israel Putnam: Fearless Boy by Augusta Stevenson, Childhood of Famous Americans

Today in Old New York City by Elva Jean Hall

New York by Susan & John Lee

A Day in the Life of a Colonial Soldier by J.L. Branse

Boys and Girls of Colonial Days by Carolyn Bailey

If You Lived in Colonial Times by Ann McGovern

Everyday Life in Colonial America by Louis Wright

Colonial Living by Edwin Tunis

Colonial American Troops, 1610-1774 by Rene Chartrand, Men-at-Arms series

Wooden Ship-Building by Charles Desmond

Once Upon a Time: The Way America Was by Eric Sloane

Other historical fiction of this time period:

The Young Voyageur by Kirk Gringhius

Time of the Tomahawk by Robert Edmond Alter

The Great Pine’s Son, A Story of the Pontiac War by Margaret Widdemer

A Spy in Old Detroit by Anne Emery

River of Danger, a Story of Samuel Kirkland by Denice Williamson, a missionary story in upstate NY

(Book review by Sandy Hall. All rights reserved. July 30, 2017)