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The Greatest Skating Race

By Louise Borden
Picture Books
Review:

Piet is a young Dutch boy in 1941 with big dreams. He aspires to be like his hero Pim Mulier, a skilled skater who was the first to ever skate the Elfstedentocht (the famous race that goes through eleven towns in his country). In an intense turn of events, Piet is placed in a high-stakes situation that requires him to guide two neighborhood children to their aunt in Brugge, which is across the Belgian border, where they will stay till the end of the war. To accomplish this perilous adventure, they must act like innocent school children and use all the courage, speed, and strength they can muster. If they falter, the German soldiers will discover their plan, and they will be in grave danger. For years Piet has dreamed of being a brave skater like Pim Mulier, but he never imagined he would do it under such dire circumstances. This is a very exciting, tension-filled book that balances good family morals, high-stake situations, and historical accuracy.

(Reviewed by Kate Phillips)

Region Holland, the Netherlands
Period 1940s, 1900s, WWII
Genre Historical Fiction
The Good and the Beautiful Library No
  • 4 Entertainment Value
  • 4 Moral Value
  • 3.5 Educational Value
  • 4 Literary Value
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Entertainment Value

All books on our list are chosen to be engaging, but books that rank high in entertainment value may be more appealing to reluctant readers and/or those who are new to good and beautiful books.

Moral Value

All books on The Good and the Beautiful Book List are deemed appropriate and wholesome, but some books have more emphasis on moral principles than others. A lower rating for moral value does not mean the book is inappropriate; it only means that moral values are not as highly emphasized.

Educational Value

Although all books on this list have educational value in the sense of increasing vocabulary and other important skills, the educational value scale is based on how well the book helps the reader gain knowledge about historical time periods, cultures, geography, science, etc.

Literary Value

Books that score high in literary value include exceptional writing, use of literary devices, and a rich vocabulary. All books on The Good and the Beautiful Book List are well-written, but some have a higher literary value than others.

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