Blog Tour: Lost on Spirit River - Tommy Batchelor - Author Interview

Last week I had the privilege of reviewing Lost on Spirit River by Tommy Batchelor. Today, I am honoured to have Tommy here with an interview. Thank you for being here,Tommy! You can follow along with the Teen Book Scene tour here. Clicking on the banner will also bring you to the tour details. 

If you were lost in a snowstorm, what three items would you recommend having with you? (Provided you knew there was a chance of being caught in bad weather.) 

1. Wear warm clothing, 2. Waterproof matches, 3. Compass.

What books would Tommy find appealing? Would he lean towards learning more about Native American history after finding shelter in a cave filled with Native American art? 

The First North American Series written by W. Michael and Kathleen Gear is a fact and fiction books on the times and life of the first native American. I would hope each child that discovered ancient painting on walls or an arrow head in their yard, would show a spark for wanting to know about the persons that lived in the area. Who they were, what they did for a living, how they lived, would you want to meet them!

If you could meet a character from any book ever written, which character and book would you choose, and why? 

Harry Potter. Who wouldn’t want to fly on a jet broom and turn your worst bully into a toad, slugs or worse? Harry also had pretty cool friends to help him when he was in a jam.

What would the front page headline of a newspaper say about you? 

Newsflash : New Southern Voice in Children Books.

If you were a tree, which tree would you be, and why?

I think it would be a Poplar tree. It can grow 100 – 120 feet (that’s almost 95 ft. taller than I am) into the sky. It’s limber limbs swing with the wind and are strong enough not to break. The roots dig deep into the earth for a strong handhold. Sort of like real life!

Thank you for those awesome answers, Tommy! I'll have to check out that book series. It sounds interesting! 

Lost on Spirit River - Tommy Batchelor - Blog Tour Review

Thirteen-year-old Tony's parents are in the middle of divorce, his mother sends him to his Grandpa's along the banks of the Flint River in Southwestern Georgia. With his younger cousin Kathryn, they set out to look for a Christmas tree for the holidays, along with Grandpa's aging beagle, Sally. The three become lost in a snowstorm, which has not hit Georgia in three hundred years. Finding shelter in a hidden cave, stumbling upon Native American art. Now the adventure begins...

(Synopsis taken from goodreads.)

Title: Lost on Spirit River

Author: Tommy Batchelor

Genre: Middle Grade Fiction

Publisher: Mirror Publishing

Publication Date: November 8, 2010

Format: Softcover

Source: Received from author courtesy of Teen Book Scene. Many thanks goes to Tommy Batchelor and Teen Book Scene for sending me a copy of this book for review. I received this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review. You can follow along with the tour here. 

Look for it: Amazon, Book Depository. 

My rating: 4/5

Tony is spending Christmas in Southwestern Georgia at his grandfather's place. While there, he and his cousin Kathryn head into the woods to pick out the perfect Christmas tree. Little do they know that a surprise winter storm is bearing down on them, and they will have to brave the elements and find shelter in a cave if they hope to survive the storm. While they are waiting out the storm, they decide to explore the cave and stumble upon a veritable treasure trove of Native American art.
Tony is a character that I think many can relate to, his parents are in the middle of getting a divorce, and he's feeling like it's his fault. He doesn't want people to know how he feels so he acts gruff, and tough. Too tough it seems, as he and his cousin Kathryn, as well as their grandfather's dog, Sally, end up getting lost in the woods during a surprise snow storm. He wants to do everything himself, and he wants it done his way. Kathryn humours him as she knows what is going on with him, but she also puts him in his place when he oversteps his bounds. With both of the cousins interacting in a familial way, it's hard not to think of them as siblings. When the storm overtakes them, Kathryn jumps to the forefront as she is more knowledgeable about the layout of the land. Tony doesn't exactly appreciate how she is taking the lead, but throughout their journey, he comes to realize that he doesn't know everything. 
With an engaging plot, and surprises at every turn, I think many will love watching the story unfold. With the added elements of bats, jaguars, and Native American history, the story remains fresh, and those reading along will be rooting for Tony and Kathryn to find their way out of the caves and back home once the storm has passed. 
All in all, a cute and imaginative read. Many young readers will be able to identify with the characters, and will love the adventure that Tony and Kathryn unwittingly embark on.