This book was a treasure we found in a used book store. I read it aloud to my 9-year old daughter who was entranced. It's a book about an aging loner, whose ancestors were witches, who one day spies a kelpie in her pond. They become friends and reminisce together. The kelpie gives the woman a necklace of pearls from the bottom of the kelpie's lake. When a greedy wanderer finds out about the pearls, trouble begins. Included in the tale are the loch ness monster, an abused boy who loves nature, tourists, scientists looking for the l-n monster, magic, and a description of the peace which comes to the old woman riding away on the kelpie (transformed into the death horse) as she is returned to her youth and beauty. The words and phrasing made me try to imitate a Scottish accent, for they were too beautiful to read in my midwest voice.

I read this book when I was in the fourth grade and I was enrolled in the Scholastic Book Club - I loved it then and I still like it as an adult. I bought it for my son who also likes myths, legends, and fantasy; he enjoyed it very much as well. Great book for young adolescents, a good story to read to kids at bedtime, and a quick read for adults who just want to sample a story about a witch woman and a kelpie.

I read this book when I was about 9-11 years old and I loved it. I read and re-read itover and over. I loved the story.
Now I have a little boy who reads books about old myths and legends. I want him to experience this book and I want to read it again for myself.

A STRANGER CAME ASHORE was a thrilling story of a selkle king who came to take away a little boy's sister to the sea. I'm twelve and I thought it was a great book. People who like fantasy and adventure stories will love it. I also recommend A MERMAID SUMMER by Molly Hunter.

I read this book for the first time when I was ten and I still can pick it up and be swept away to the windy peat bogs of the Emerald Isle. All Saint's Eve-Hallowe'en to us Yanks-is presented with incredible color and vitality and embodies the struggle of good against not so good. Because of this book, the Northern Lights will forever be "The Merry Dancers." Anyone interested in sharing or learning celtic legend and tradition on an engaging level with their family will profit from this book. It is definitely a "must-have" in my house!

This book had alot of suspense, though I thought it was sort of boring at the start, it picked up and in the end I really liked it! It had a very good plot, and I loved the book.

I'm a junior at Okemos High School, and I think The Stronghold by Mollie Hunter is an extremely well written book. The book follows the story of a crippled young Scottish man named Coll, who has thought of a perfect defense against the Roman raiders who terrorize his village and those of the neighboring islands. In order to achieve his desires of seeing his people safe; and proving himself to his Chief Nectan so that he may marry Nectan's daughter; Coll must overcome tradition, politics, disbelief, traitors, and his own inner doubts. I liked the book very much, and because of several reasons. The main reason is that I was able to empathize with Coll from the very beginning of the book. When he recalls his memories of the raiders who crippled him, I felt his fear and sympathized with him. I shared in his excitement when he is finally able to make his dreams come true. Another reason why I liked the book is the way that Mollie Hunter created the setting of the time period in her book. The time period is shown in the influence of the druid Domnall with the village elders, and in the power of the Roman troops. It is shown in the fight of Nectan against the wild boar that Nectan put himself through to prove himself to the villagers of his tribe. All of these different parts of The Stronghold create a story that the reader can believe would take place between 50 B.C. and 100 A.D. The final reason why I liked The Stronghold was that it gave a new view into the military conflicts with the Roman Empire, a topic that I have always been interested in. Mollie Hunter reflected history extremely well while weaving her ideas into the plot of the book. I think that the Stronghold is an excellent piece of literature, and I believe that anyone who reads it will be the better for it.

The Haunted Mountain is a half-good, half-bad book. Mollie Hunter mixes ideas of Celtic mythology with children's dreams. This fantasy takes place in a small town in the north of Scotland during the Celtic times. This story is filled with mythological characters from fairies to urisks, which are half man half goat. This fantasy is about a stubborn farmer named Mc Allister. He promises himself that he will never give the fairies his traditional piece of land. Throughout the story the fairies have tried several attempts to kill him. They finally capture him and make him their slave. It is up to his brave son Fergus to save him. I was quite disappointed in this book because the reading level was quite low. The characters were unrealistic and it was more a fantasy book than a horror story. Personally I prefer horror stories to fantasies. If you like fantasies, castles, and romance, this is and ideal book. If you're more like me and love horror stories, I don't suggest this book.

The Haunted Mountain is the book I read. This book is about a man named MacAllister who owns many acres that the "Sid he" kept ruining. MacAllister marries a women named Peggy Anna and has a child name Fergus. Something really bad happens to MacAllister and someone has to save him! Read this book to find out what will happen. I thought this was a very good book. I would highly recommend this book.

The Stronghold by Mollie Hunter was a pretty decent historical book. It was interesting, though it did have its flaws. The story follows Coll. He is a very young man who was crippled during childhood by a Roman raid on his Scottish people. He has spent his entire life planning to build a stronghold which would hold off the raiders. He has had difficulties trying to sell his idea to the leaders of his village. Coll has also fallen in love with the chieftan's daughter and cannot marry her because of his weakness. Coll's life is further complicated when a traitor moves into his village and begins to scheme to take power. Coll has to try to solve all of these problems. The novel reaches its climax when the village is eventually attacked by its enemies. The novel is fairly exciting. My problems with it are only with how people react to certain situations. For instance, it is hard to believe that Coll, as a four-year old child, began to design his stronghold. Some of the dialogue was bothersome, too. Overall, I did like the book, and I would recommend it to someone who enjoys historic literature. I do not think that this should have won the Carnegie Medal.

The Stronghold was well written literary work that presents religion and tradition of a culture far gone from society today in a modern tone. The character development was intense and I found myself unable to set the book down. As a young man growing up in a society controlled by Druid leaders, Coll, the main character suffered through an attack by Roman raiders that would leave him physically and emotionally wounded for years. The genius of the young man was hidden by a physical disability. The community's success relied solely on physiques of each individual, and their steadfast hold to the Druid belief system. Consequently, Coll's value to the community is overlooked. That is until Coll presents his ideas about his Stronghold. The Stronghold is a structure flawless in defense mechanisms. Only a close group of peers hold faith in Coll's genius. I honestly enjoyed reading this novel. My 11th grade British Literature teacher suggested it to me. This is the first of Mollie Hunters works that I have been exposed to, and am looking forward to reading other novels Hunter has written.