The Secret of Sentinel Rock

E. Jane Philipps is head of the Biology Library at Queen’s University
in Kingston.

This intriguing and moving time-travel adventure centres on kinship of
spirit between individuals, across generations, and with the land. As
family and friends gather in the farmhouse of 96-year-old Grandmother
Renfrew following her funeral, 12-year-old Emily, feeling an enormous
emptiness, succumbs to her longing to wander the prairie paths she and
her grandmother had explored together every summer. Stopping to rest at
a familiar outcrop of rock (her grandmother’s favorite place), Emily
meets the strangely dressed Emma and suddenly finds herself transported
to another time. The cleverly conceived plot alternates between 1899,
when Emma and her family arrived from Scotland to establish their
homestead, and 1996, when Emily’s mother and aunt put their mother’s
house in order and prepare to sell the family farm. With the rock as
guidepost and portal, Emily travels back and forth, developing a deep
friendship with Emma, learning about the hardships and perseverance of
her forebears, and coming to terms with the loss of her grandmother.

Although her dialogue occasionally rings false, Silverthorne’s prose
evokes the sights, sounds, and smells of the prairies. She successfully
incorporates historical elements, conveying a sense of the fascinating
mysteries that can surround research into the past. The believable and
appealing characters draw the reader into their lives

and times in a work that is well-written, informative, and emotionally
satisfying. Highly recommended.