Karl’s dad is stuck in the past.
Like… Viking past.
Karl McGregor is friendless.
He’s also dealing with a Dad Problem.
Some dads are a bit old-fashioned.
Karl’s is more… ninth century.
Which makes him… 1200 years old.
Yeah. Right.
With his new friend, Finch, Karl digs for answers–and uncovers a past filled with Vikings, angry Norse gods, and Erika, a girl who can outsmart them all.
To return home, the trio will need to fix the past before it destroys their future.
And Karl will have to do something harder than facing Vikings:
Learn how to be a friend.
Karl’s dad is stuck in the past.
Like… Viking past.
Karl McGregor is friendless.
He’s also dealing with a Dad Problem.
Some dads are a bit old-fashioned.
Karl’s is more… ninth century.
Which makes him… 1200 years old.
Yeah. Right.
With his new friend, Finch, Karl digs for answers–and uncovers a past filled with Vikings, angry Norse gods, and Erika, a girl who can outsmart them all.
To return home, the trio will need to fix the past before it destroys their future.
And Karl will have to do something harder than facing Vikings:
Learn how to be a friend.
The Viking arrow struck the tree with a soft thunk.
Soft but loud enough to startle Erika, who was doing her best to hide. She let a long rod roll off her shoulder and fall to the ground. With trembling hands, she rolled up the legs of her loose grey pants.
If Erika lived in the 21st century, she might say, ‘Vikings suck.’ But twelve-year-old Erika didn’t live in the 21st century. She lived in the ninth century.
Vikings had invaded her village and made a mess of everything.
She hefted the rod back onto her shoulder. At home, Erika carried full pails of milk without spilling a drop. She chopped wood better than some adults.
But milking and chopping were nothing compared to running from Vikings.
The rod’s weight made her shoulder sag. She scowled at it and shifted it towards her neck.
Viking shouts echoed around her. Erika gulped a large breath. The forest air had the taste of fresh honey. She ran from the cover of the tree.
An almost vertical wall of rocks and boulders loomed ahead. She scrambled up and then sprinted deeper into the forest. The path sloped upwards.
Another arrow just missed. Erika stumbled. Her body got ahead of her feet, and she fell. The rod rolled under a bush.
She glanced over her shoulder. A Viking bowman had climbed the rock wall. He fired again. This shot kicked up pine needles just ahead of her. She scrabbled under the bush.
The rod was just out of reach. She slid forward on her belly, taking skin off her elbows. Her searching fingers brushed against the rod’s end.
She stretched further, grasped it, and leapt to her feet. She took another glance. The bowman aimed.
Erika sprinted away.
The hill steepened, but she ran faster.
The rod bounced with each step, sending tingles down her arm. She switched shoulders and ran on.
She reached the top of the hill. Flat, bare ground was right in front of her. Erika sprinted across it.
She skidded. Pebbles sprayed ahead of her as the ground ended.
One leg stuck out over a cliff edge. Erika leaned back, twirling her free arm to stay balanced.
She peeked over the edge. The bottom was down there somewhere—a farm nestled at the base of the cliff. A farmer sat beside a hay pile, milking a cow.
A thick forest surrounded a small village. Beyond the forest, waves lapped a beach.
Erika turned. The bowman grinned an evil smile. He was close. His next arrow wouldn’t miss. Five more Vikings joined him.
They marched towards her. Erika glanced over the edge again, then back to the Vikings. Her throat bobbed as she tried to swallow. The cool air stung her eyes. The breeze tugged her breath away.
The Vikings closed in. Erika turned away and hurled the rod off the cliff. Then she jumped after it.
Karl has no friends. The brutish boy is a superb asset to his team on the playing field, but when it comes to relationships, his temper has wrecked any chance of building relationships with his peers. When a new student joins his class, Karl can’t help but notice how the talkative kid seems to soothe his anger. Despite Karl’s attempts to keep Finch at a distance, he quickly finds that having someone to talk to and confide in isn’t such a bad thing–especially when you suspect your dad is a viking. There’s something fishy about his dad’s behavior and sudden disappearance. Finch might be just the friend that Karl needs to cool his temper, discover the truth, and set his sights on the needs of those around him.
Those Vikings by Mike Cooper is an engaging middle-grade novel with historical and time-travel elements. If you’re a fan of Viking lore, you’ll love this fantastical adventure where a magic wand unlocks the key to travelling between centuries and opens the door for a wildly exciting adventure. With guest appearances from shape-shifting sidekicks and the mighty Odin himself, there is no shortage of action and adventure in this fast-paced read. The playful tone keeps the story light-hearted and humorous, while Karl learns valuable lessons about friendship, taking responsibility for his temper, strategizing, and even improvising when the situation calls for it.
I enjoy finding middle-grade novels that incorporate numerous lessons perfect for the target audience and don’t bog down the story. Karl is a big, strong kid who tends to be a bully. Despite his efforts to control his temper, he struggles to find peace within himself. It is through developing healthy relationships with Finch and later, his father, that Karl is guided to a place of learning to focus his energy on building up rather than destroying. This theme develops as the story progresses and leaves a resounding impact on readers as they reach the conclusion and the character’s final revelations.
The novel wraps up quickly, tying up loose ends and preparing readers for the next installment in the series. If you’re looking for a fast-paced middle-grade read with plenty of action, lots of humor, and a bit of magic, then look no further. Those Vikings is an excellent choice for readers who love Viking lore, Norse mythology, and applicable life lessons. Teachers may want to add a copy to their class library to encourage reluctant readers to find a new favorite series.