Katelyn Lace is introverted and at odds with her overbearing Social studies teacher, Mr. Gunter. One day in his class, Katelyn spots a breathtaking feathered headdress tangled in a tree outside her classroom. Its exotic plumage hinting at forgotten secrets. But before she can unravel them, she finds a chilling article in the shadows of her attic about a plane accident that unlived thirty-two people. Then, her best friend Eva Hansley and her uncle invite her for a trip to SĂŁo Paulo, Brazil, which Katelyn realizes has a dark connection to the article.
Ignoring the warnings, Katelyn goes on the trip hoping for a relaxing vacation. Tragically, she finds herself in the treacherous heart of the Amazon. Alone. Or is she? A familiar, yet unexpected figure emerges from the wreckage. Together, they forge a desperate alliance finding solace in each other. With Eva, the trio battle against the unforgiving Amazon, but then they encounter the Arapaçu, an Indigenous tribe living deep within the rainforest. As they face death, the vibrant headdress unveils its true purpose as it ultimately determines their fate, and whether they will ever make it back home.
Unravel the Amazon's secrets with Katelyn on this dangerous adventure!
Katelyn Lace is introverted and at odds with her overbearing Social studies teacher, Mr. Gunter. One day in his class, Katelyn spots a breathtaking feathered headdress tangled in a tree outside her classroom. Its exotic plumage hinting at forgotten secrets. But before she can unravel them, she finds a chilling article in the shadows of her attic about a plane accident that unlived thirty-two people. Then, her best friend Eva Hansley and her uncle invite her for a trip to SĂŁo Paulo, Brazil, which Katelyn realizes has a dark connection to the article.
Ignoring the warnings, Katelyn goes on the trip hoping for a relaxing vacation. Tragically, she finds herself in the treacherous heart of the Amazon. Alone. Or is she? A familiar, yet unexpected figure emerges from the wreckage. Together, they forge a desperate alliance finding solace in each other. With Eva, the trio battle against the unforgiving Amazon, but then they encounter the Arapaçu, an Indigenous tribe living deep within the rainforest. As they face death, the vibrant headdress unveils its true purpose as it ultimately determines their fate, and whether they will ever make it back home.
Unravel the Amazon's secrets with Katelyn on this dangerous adventure!
Katelynâs trembling fingers traced the pattern on her bed sheets as she stared out her bedroom window. Her mind raced with the impossible decision before her, and the worst-case scenarios played in her consciousness, each one more terrifying than the last. She tugged the sheets to her chin and pondered deeply about what to do next. A decision had to be made. But if she chose wrong, a tragic ending would follow.
More thoughts invaded her mind as she thought about her ordeal. Battling to regain control of her emotions, she exhaled and tried to whisper reassuring thoughts to herself, but it was no use. She quickly retrieved the newspaper article from beneath her pillows, fumbled for her phone, which was resting on her nightstand, and opened messages.
Katelyn intensely stared at Evaâs message and the article, but the more she stared, the more she felt sick and overwhelmed with anxiety. Her heart started to race so much that she barely even noticed the dawn breaking through the horizon outside her window. So much had happened to her over the week.
â Hereâs what happened:Â
It was Monday. Katelyn remembered every detail of that day. She recalled feeling tired, her eyes heavy as she struggled to keep her head up. At Edgewood Middle School, it was one of those days where time just seemed to stop. Classes were usually dull, but Mr. Gunterâs social studies class was the absolute worst.
He was a stocky, middle-aged social studies teacher with dark brown hair who had joined the school and began teaching in just a few months. Also, the fact that he wore the same charcoal gray suit to school every day always puzzled Katelyn. Not only was his class boring, but he also seemed to despise his students and maybe even his job as a teacher.Â
Mr. Gunter hadn't smiled since the invention of the wheel, or so it seemed. And his perpetual scowl was a monument to his grouchiness. He yelled at students for making the most minor mistakes in class, making sure everyone knew. In class, his droning lectures were torture for thirteen-year-old Katelyn. To be fair, they weren't lessons; they were sleep-inducing spells that left her yearning for the sweet release of the final bell.
Trying to distract herself from the lecture Mr. Gunter was blabbering away about, Katelyn directed her gaze to the classroom window. The chilly fall air carried brown and orange leaves to the lifeless ground. It was the beginning of October, which meant fall break was getting closer by the day, and everyone in the school had two weeks off for fall break.
 The outside world seemed mundane and uninteresting. As she turned away, something unexpected caught her eye in the tall oak tree outside the classroom. The thing was tangled in the branches of the tree, making it difficult to discern its details. Katelyn's curiosity piqued as she continued to stare out the window. She leaned closer to the window, squinting to get a better view.
Attached to its base, the thing boasted a riot of color. Scarlet macaw feathers, their vibrancy undimmed, brushed against the azure plumage of a hyacinth macaw. Darker feathers, their origins a mystery, whispered of unseen jungle birds. The whole composition was a masterpiece under the soft glow of the sun that filtered through the leaves.
It was a feathered headdress.
A headdress. Katelyn was marveled. She had only seen such feathered headdresses in movies and pictures, never in real life. People like Native Americans and Indigenous people mainly wore cultural headdresses. How did it end up here? Katelyn desperately wanted a close-up look. The more she stared at it, the more she felt drawn to it. She was so engrossed that she didnât even notice Mr. Gunter marching toward her desk with a ruler in his hand.
Mr. Gunter approached her and slammed the ruler on her desk. âMs. Lace! Stop your daydreaming and pay attention!â Shouted Mr. Gunter in an outrageous voice.
Katelyn snapped out of it and whipped her head away from the window. All eyes were on her. Katelyn stared up at Mr. Gunter, who was darkly frowning down at her with his distinct gray eyes that almost matched the color of his suit. Katelyn's cheeks burned as the heat radiated down her neck. Her gaze dropped to the scratchy carpet beneath her shoes, trying to focus on anything but the searing spotlight now trained on her.
âYou know how much I hate it when my students donât pay attention,â Mr. Gunter said furiously. âThatâll be twenty minutes of detention after school for you,â Mr. Gunter began to walk back.
Katelyn looked up in disbelief. Detention? For this? This lit her inner fire. Mr. Gunter had crossed the line, and Katelyn could no longer control herself. âI was just looking outside,â her voice trembled. "This is my first time getting in trouble for this."
âShut up!â Mr. Gunter said as he whipped his head back. He shot her his death glare. âDonât you dare argue with me!â He shouted. "For that, your detention period will now be thirty minutes." Mr. Gunter turned around and stalked his way back to his desk. âStupid girl,â he muttered, but his voice reached the ears of everyone in the class.
Katelyn's mouth hung open, a wave of humiliation crashing over her like a rogue wave. Hot tears welled in her eyes, blurring her vision as she fought to keep them from spilling over. Her gaze darted to the floor, desperately seeking refuge from the stares of her peers. Sure, he could be unreasonable at times, but this was too far. She glanced up long enough to see Mr. Gunter jabber away again about Egyptian history as if nothing happened.
But Katelyn hardly registered what Mr. Gunter was talking about. Iâm stupid? She thought angrily. Youâre the stupid one. The heat of humiliation flooded Katelyn's cheeks. Being the center of attention was her worst nightmare, and now, thanks to Mr. Gunter, she was on display for the entire class. It was wrong not to pay attention, but this reaction wasnât necessary, and now she had to serve thirty minutes of detention. It seemed like Mr. Gunter existed solely for the purpose of embarrassing his students. Katelyn ran her hand over the dent left on her desk from the ruler being slammed.Â
âI hate him,â Katelyn murmured. âI wish he never existed.â
Detention felt like an eternity, but freedom finally arrived. Katelyn bolted outside as the image of the feathered headdress tangled in the oak's embrace, spurring her on. Reaching the familiar tree, she tossed her backpack aside and launched herself upwards into a climb. Rough bark scraped against her skin, following a stinging sensation, but she ignored it. Katelyn focused on the prize â the headdress. Once she was close enough, she untangled the stubborn branches, her movements careful and deliberate not to damage the beautiful object.
After Katelyn freed the feathered headdress from the tree, she descended down and set the feathered headdress next to her. She gave a quick glance at her hands, which now had minor blisters that gave an itching and painful sensation. Katelyn groaned as her hand throbbed. She sat on the ground and rested her back against the treeâs trunk. Katelyn reached out for the headdress and laid it on her lap.
With the magnificent headdress cradled in her hands, Katelyn dared run her fingers through the exotic plumes, which brushed her skin like a whisper. The feathers radiated outwards in the formation of a crest. Were these real feathers? She thought. They must be. These feathers were too natural and vibrant to be fake. Katelyn's gaze went to the base, or the plume holder, which had flawless stripes of white, vibrant blue, black, and fiery red that seemed to represent the colors of a jungle sunset.
On either side, meticulously folded squares of colorful cloth hung above a small piece of dyed animal skin. Right below the animal's skin was a fuzzy white circle attached to both sides, each holding within them smaller blue and yellow circles, like watchful eyes guarding a hidden secret. Katelyn decided she would take the feathered headdress home since it didn't seem to belong to anyone. She gently started to put the headdress inside her backpack, but a voice caught her attention.
âKatelyn!â A voice shouted.Â
She turned around. It was Eva Hansley, Katelynâs best friend since second grade. âThere you are!" She halted in front of her. "Gosh, where were you? I almost left without you.â
âI'm sorry, I had to stay back,â Katelyn apologized, deciding not to mention why. Her gaze returned to the feathered headdress.
âNo worries, anyway Iâve wantedââ Eva paused. âWhatâs that?â Eva stared at the masterpiece in Katelyn's hands. "Is that a headdress?"Â
âIt is,â Katelyn replied, âI found it in the tree. Isn't it beautiful?â
âYou found it in the tree?â She asked.
â âYeah, weird, right?âÂ
â âOh yeah,â Eva said, shrugging. She didn't seem too interested. Suddenly, a sly grin appeared on Evaâs face. âI have a surprise that Iâm so sure youâll love,â Eva said, her grin growing wider.
âA surprise? For me?â Katelyn wasnât expecting this.
Eva nodded happily. âYouâre going to love it!â
"Well, are you going to tell me?" Katelyn asked eagerly.
Eva rolled her eyes playfully. "Well, dummy, I'm not going to tell you now," Eva said teasingly. "You'll have to wait."
Katelyn sighed, shaking her head, and smiled. "Of course you're not." She bent down and carefully stuffed the feathered headdress in her backpack. The ends of the feathers stuck out as she zipped her backpack.
Eva patted her friend's back. "Oh, don't be disappointed," she said as they began walking. "You'll find out soon."Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
They chatted animatedly on their way home as they passed the old store which they always walk past. The building's interior was painted darkish tan, with the inside lights turned off and the shades pulled down. The store had been closed for a while and didn't even have a name, but no one questioned it. There was usually nothing appealing about the store, but today, a cardboard box sat right by the door.
â âWhat do you think is in that box?â Katelyn asked curiously. She slowed down to a stop.
â âI donât know,â Eva said. âLetâs see.â
â Eva began to walk toward the store, with Katelyn following. Once they crossed the street, they realized that the box had writing on it. It said in black ink: Free for all to take whatever you want. The box contained items that likely belonged to people who lived in tribes. There were many items, such as sharp spears, fur clothing, and even old dream catchers.
âWow! This is so cool!â Eva said in amazement as she hovered over the box. She picked up a bow and arrow and pretended to aim it as if she was targeting prey.
âWhere do you think all of this came from?â Katelyn asked.Â
âIâm not sure. But this stuff is so cool!â Eva dug her hand into the box and pulled out a beaded old necklace that was falling apart.
Katelyn looked at the feathered headdress in her hands. She wondered if it came from here.Â
âHey, Katelyn,â Eva said. âDo you think we should take some things from this box?â
âI donât think we should,â she replied.
âWhy not? Itâs for free.â
"We shouldnât take something just because itâs free. Besides, I donât even think these items are from here.â
âWhat do you mean, theyâre not from here?â
Katelyn sighed. âEva, these things look so old. They wonât be of any use anyways.â
Eva looked disappointed, but she seemed to agree. âI suppose so. Letâs go home.âÂ
As they walked home, Katelyn couldnât help but feel a strange energy coming from the feathered headdress in her backpack--as if it was imbued with a forgotten story. Where did it come from? Most importantly, who did it belong to?
It is always both a pleasure and a challenge to review a novelistâs debut creation. In the wise words of W. Somerset Maugham: âThere are three rules for the writing of a novel. Unfortunately no one knows what they are.â
The success of this young adult/teen fiction novel, which I believe seventh to ninth graders will best enjoy, hinges on the acceptance of Magical Realism as its dominant device. From the first appearance of a mysterious headdress to a series of dangerous and arguably should-be-fatal experiences the novelâs trio of heroes survive against the odds, to their encounters with Indigenous peoples in the Amazon, if one focuses on the adventure and the charactersâ experience of it, and not the implausibility of individual events and circumstances, this debut novel succeeds.
The central characters are 13-year-old middle school students Katelyn and Eva, who have been friends since the second grade. Like characters in a fairy tale, Cyrilâs characters do not have a great deal of physical detail and background, allowing readers to imprint easily upon them, which facilitates immersion in the story (thank you, Bruno Bettelheim). Soon after Katelyn discovers the mysterious ceremonial headdress while attending Mr. Guntherâs social studies class (Mr. Gunther being the third central character and the archetypal middle-school social studies teacher many of us encountered), Eva surprises her with a trip to the Amazon, paid for by her generous Uncle Larry.
After a series of embedded clues, bits of foreshadowing, and events that all function in the Realm of Magical Realism, the girls and Mr. Guntherâwho was also on the flightâfind themselves pitted against the Amazon and its flora and fauna for their survival.
I want to go carefully here, so as not to ruin the plot. The target audience will learn about the Indigenous people of the Amazon, although again through the device of Magical Realism. I am not sure Mr. Gunther would approve of all of the elements of the portrayal. The central charactersâ arcs will resolve in ways that one would expect in a story aimed at the target audience.
Structurally and in terms of language, there is every indication that Jenelia Cyril has a bright future as a novelist. The book is well paced and vivid in its descriptions and the characters are easy to cheer for.