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    Facing the Hunchback of Notre Dame
    Facing the Hunchback of Notre Dame
    Facing the Hunchback of Notre Dame
    Ebook172 pages2 hours

    Facing the Hunchback of Notre Dame

    By L. L. Samson

    3.5/5

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    About this ebook

    Linus and Julia Easterday find themselves in the strangest situations. Repeatedly. And it’s their own fault. “How many other kids our age have Natty Bumpo living in their attic?” Linus complains. And yet, how many other twelve-year-olds know Quasimodo and the Count of Monte Cristo personally? It all began when Linus and Julia, fraternal twins, moved in with their Aunt Portia and Uncle Augustus after their lepidopterologist parents journeyed to the newly discovered island of Stu (named after it’s discoverer, Stu Cranston, of Hohocus, New Jersey) for at least five years to study never-before-seen butterflies. Aunt Portia and Uncle Augustus Sandwich run an antiquarian bookshop. Seven Hills Rare Books attracts customers as eccentric as its owners. (If Aunt Portia, who wears a tiara in her fuzzy, apricot colored hair, thick glasses and cowboy boots, can be considered eccentric. We won’t get into Uncle Augustus. He does, however, drink a lot of tea, eat a lot of sandwiches, and tends to talk with Jesus at any time – even if you happen to be standing in front of him.) Seven Hills, housed in a three story stone townhouse, was once a magic shop owned by second-rate magician Harvey Blackstone. What most people who inhabited Rickshaw Street didn’t know was that behind the dusty front window arranged with faded top hats, dusty wands, and scattered cards, Harvey Blackstone conjured up something truly magical. So magical he disappeared one night. About a month after the children moved in with their relatives, they discovered Harvey’s magic laboratory through a hidden door in the closet of the back bedroom of the third floor. A circle had been burned into the middle of the scarred wooden floor. As it happened, Julia decided to read up there one night when she couldn’t sleep. She’d reclined on the couch and fell asleep while reading her Bible and occasionally sneaking a peek at a novel. As happens sometimes, her arm flopped to the side and her book, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, dropped onto the floor. At 12:03 a.m., the circle began to glow, then pop and hiss and spark like fireworks. Julia woke with a start. At 12:05 a.m. the sparks settled down and there sat Quasimodo and my goodness, he wasn’t happy at all. Or perhaps he was simply scared to death as he had not yet gotten out of his bell tower and suddenly, poof, there he is in the twenty-first century. How long the visitor stays depends on how fast Julia can read the book, cover to cover. If it’s a doozie like Les Miserables, matters can get quite sticky, and believe you me even the shorter books give the twins a great deal of trouble. Imagine having the Frankenstein monster around even for just a day. The bulk of the story is the children’s: how they deal with a raging sea captain in present day, how they manage to get a hunchbacked recluse into the sunshine or a babbling Danish prince to the psychiatrist – and what lessons they take into life.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherZondervan
    Release dateMay 8, 2012
    ISBN9780310727965
    Facing the Hunchback of Notre Dame
    Author

    L. L. Samson

    L.L. Samson lives in Kentucky and has been writing for longer than anyone needs to know. Suffice it to say, L.L. has been reading even longer, loves to do it, and hopes you will too! Chickens, children, and a cat live in Lexington with L.L. and spouse, Will Samson, who writes too. Despite this, it’s difficult to find a pen in the house.

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    Reviews for Facing the Hunchback of Notre Dame

    3.5/5

    8 ratings3 reviews

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    • 2/5
      I struggled to engage with this book and become enthused, largely due to the writing style, which I initially felt was relayed as a lot of babble. I had seen the film (black & white) on TV as a youngster and remember vividly the image of Quasimodo (the hunchback) up in the bell tower crying out ‘Sanctuary’. It was knowing that this character and his story was the main theme of this book that kept me reading and reconnect with the text as best as I could. The previous reviews rate this book as 3.8 – 4 / 5 so I kept thinking what is it that I am not seeing in this book to rate it higher than a 2. What I found hard was that you are reading a fantasy story that makes references to the classic story of Quasimodo the hunchback of Notre Dame, written in 1831 by Victor Hugo (also wrote Les Miserables). I found that I would rather be reading the Hunchback of Notre Dame rather than the attempt of a story around it. This story is of Quasimodo entering the real world (today’s world, 21st century) from the book world of which he was created. He enters the real world through a magic circle which is in an old attic. Twins Ophelia & Linus find him when they are clearing out the old attic of their Aunt & Uncle’s house, to whom they have been sent to live with. The house belonged to a Cato Grubbs (he mysteriously disappeared years ago) who had all sorts of potions and magic books hidden up in the attic. After Grubbs disappearance the house was left to wreck & ruin until the aunt & uncle purchased it and turned it in a bookstore. It turns out that Grubbs through his experimenting had in fact sent himself through the portal to the Book World.Ophelia instantly realises who the hunchback is, as she is currently reading the story and can sympathise with him from what she has read within the story. The twins also find the potions and books and realise what has happened, that Quasimodo has travelled through a portal and will remain in the real world until 62 hours later at 11.11 am when he will need to be returned by the same magic circle. Ophelia must also complete the book by this time so that Quasimodo can travel back safely and the story will be ended. If this book leads the reader to read or search for information on the original story of Quasimodo - The Hunchback of Notre Dame then it is worth reading. The original story lien is truly a classic worth reading or viewing.
    • 4/5
      Since I work with elementary school kids, I read a lot of middle grade and children's titles. When I saw the blurb for this on NetGalley, I was immediately intrigued; I mean, the book promised magic, and fictional characters in the modern world, and adventure! It pretty much screamed "your students would love this!" And now that I've finished it, I really think they will. This book was a lot of fun to read.The book has a bit of a Lemony Snicket feel to it, in that it's told from another narrator's point of view (in this case, a custodian at the University's English Department, who's a bit of a curmudgeon), and also explains the definitions of larger, less-known vocabulary words (I was a really big fan of this, especially when his definitions got a little snarky). He tells the tale of how Linus and Ophelia, who are twins, and their friend, Walter, get caught up in an adventure due to a mishap in an enchanted attic that winds up bringing Quasimodo forward in time, right out of the pages of Victor Hugo's book. He has all of these pretty funny asides, where he goes off on tangents about the professors of the English department, or when he thinks people are boneheaded, and it's all done in a very humorous way that I think kids would love. I know I did, and while I'm not a kid, I am definitely a kid at heart, so there you go.I loved the description of the twins, especially how they complemented each other but were quite different. I also loved the little back story of Walter, and how he's using his trip to the US to turn over a new leaf and do things differently. And Father Lou, the neighborhood priest, was likewise entertaining, particularly the bit about how he used to be a bounty hunter. All of the characters were so unique, with these little idosyncracies that made them really stand out on the page (or e-reader, in my case). And then, of course, you have Quasimodo, who was really such a gentle soul that I couldn't help but love him.The adventure in this book comes courtesy of the deadline imposed on the magic, which says that Quasimodo must be returned 60 hours after he first appears in the world or he'll die. Several things end up having to happen in order to make sure things turn out all right, and this is heightened by the fact that it's raining cats and dogs throughout the book, and the dam is not in the best of shape. So you have this urgency (even though I was pretty sure everything would turn out just fine, this being a kid's book and all) that makes you want to keep reading just so you know everything will be okay. As I said before, I just really had a lot of fun with this book.If you're looking for an easily accessible middle grade book, definitely check this one out. It will introduce students to the story of The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and give them a really fun adventure filled with excitement and magic (not to mention talk about how people shouldn't be judged by their outward appearance). I will definitely be purchasing this title for my library and book talking the stuffing out of it!An e-galley was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
    • 5/5
      Sometimes, a book that is so very well written and entertaining, needs no introduction nor words... every kid out there should read this book! This book, and eventually series, should be in every classroom/school! The story is narrated by a disgruntled janitor from Kingscross University; the storyteller is full of humor and insight. I really did enjoy having him jump in at times and give us his two cents and would explain words and phrases that a middle grader may not fully understand the meanings to them yet.The story begins with twins, Ophelia and Linus, having to go stay with their Aunt and Uncle while their parents go off for 5 years to a remote island to study rare insects and butterflies. In their boredom, they venture around and explore their new 3 story-home - down the stairs is their Aunt's used book shop, the basement is where their Uncle's old collection of costumes and antiques are stored... and then one day, they go upstairs and find a hidden door that leads them to the enchanted attic!Upon finding the attic, they unearth many trivial bottles filled with unknown powders and liquids, curious books and unique drawings on the floor. All of these things that once belonged to the previous owner - a mad magician that practiced apothecary, who had disappeared a few years ago. One night while Ophelia was reading her book in the attic, she got curious with her surroundings, and while looking around, she dropped her book onto the floor at the exact moment that something magical was aligning up! In the next moment, Quasimodo appears!How did Quasimodo come out of the book???The rest of the story is about getting to know people, trying to do the right thing and standing up for what you believe in and not being afraid.How will they help Quasimodo get back into his world???And will they be able to help Quasimodo and change his story for the better???My only issue with this book is probably just a typographical error - the summary states that the twins are twelve years old, but as you read the story, it continuously says that they are fourteen. Since this is an ARC, I believe that it may just be a typo. The children in this book do seem to be mature, so I am going to say that they are fourteen, it just makes better sense to me...I highly recommend this book! Especially for advancing middle graders that are taking the leap from beginner chapter books to those thicker ones, and for those who have an early interest in writing.

    Book preview

    Facing the Hunchback of Notre Dame - L. L. Samson

    prologue

    What You Need to Know Before Reading This Fantastic Little Book …

    Or All of This Backstory Isn’t Normally a Good Idea, but We’d Like to Get On with Things

    Backstory: The past events leading up to the present story so the reader might better understand the current happenings.

    The adventures began when fourteen-year-old twins Linus and Ophelia Easterday were deserted by their parents. Drs. Antonia and Ron Easterday (PhD, of course) never thought much about anyone other than themselves and their lepidoptera (four-winged insects such as butterflies and moths). So for this reason they have no problem leaving their children in the care of Portia and Augustus Sandwich, the kids’ aunt and uncle on their mother’s side, also twins. And on this particular excursion, they were scheduled to be gone for at least five years. Five years! How could they leave their children behind for such a length of time?

    The children bade their parents good-bye at the docks in New York City, as Ron and Antonia set out on a boat called The Basset Hound to study never-before-seen butterflies on the island of Willis, which was discovered by Willis Cranston from Ho-Ho-Kus, New Jersey, while parasailing from a cruise ship. That is all we know about Mr. Cranston, and most likely that’s all we should know about him.

    Both children were actually a bit relieved at Antonia and Ron’s departure, due to the fact that the Drs. Easterday are lousy parents. Therefore, the children had grown up primarily on peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, cold cereal, and instant oatmeal. And not even the most delightful peaches and cream kind, I might add. Plus, they’d been doing their own laundry for more than seven years now. A crime! Hopefully your parents are much worthier than those two. If not, you have my most sincere condolences (feelings of pity while wishing circumstances could be better for you, even though they cannot).

    Linus and Ophelia, enjoying the carefree lifestyle that is summer vacation, hopped aboard a train and headed inland for the town of Kingscross, where the esteemed Kingscross University has been educating minds since the late 1600s. Snow and ice regularly occur during a Kingscross wintertime, and I’ve watched a colleague or two of mine in the English department fall down flat on the steps leading into our building. May I admit that I chuckled?

    They do not respect me here at the university, but who cleans up the messes of their infernal making? It is I, Bartholomew Inkster, that’s who. Of course, they look down their noses at me because I’ve never had the time, what with having a real job and all, to earn the number of degrees that they have. But let’s face facts: If you were given the choice between having either all of the janitors or all of the English professors in the world disappear, who would go first? My point exactly! And if I laid my reading list alongside any one of theirs, guess whose would be longer and more diverse? That’s right. You guessed it.

    The children eventually arrived at their aunt and uncle’s home on Rickshaw Street. Portia and Augustus Sandwich live in a townhouse three stories tall and built from stone the color of verdigris (the green that collects on copper). The bottom floor of the Sandwiches’s townhome holds the family business, Seven Hills Better Books, which sells rare and antiquarian books. In other words, either there aren’t many of these volumes left, or they smell like mildew. Portia runs the place, and she always offers me a peppermint whenever I enter the shop to peruse the current findings.

    But beware: while in their shop, I’ve occasionally witnessed shifting shadows, a hint of cloak, a waft of odor … only to turn around quickly and find nothing there. Just a little warning, mind. Nobody else seems to notice these things, and I hate to bring it up at the risk of ruining Portia’s business.

    Augustus, when not at auctions looking for ancient merchandise, sits around and talks with the customers — mostly about twaddle, but everyone needs to chat about insignificant topics on a regular basis. It clears the mind for more important matters.

    Portia and Augustus are brother and sister. I believe I mentioned previously that they are twins as well, and they secretly believe the Drs. Easterday are loony to leave behind such adorable children. I do have to wonder, however, if Linus and Ophelia behave better for their aunt and uncle than they do for their parents. It’s just a suspicion and clearly I might be mistaken. The children have always seemed most polite when I’ve encountered them in the store.

    The bookstore has been in place for almost two decades, yet the older residents of Rickshaw Street remember when Cato Grubbs owned the house. He ran an apothecary and laboratory equipment shop — and a rather successful one at that—until he mysteriously disappeared. One day he was there serving his customers, and the next day his shop door remained locked. Not a single person saw him leave. He said good-bye to no one.

    Eventually the bank regained ownership of the building until Augustus and Portia obtained it at quite the bargain. As such, the bank did not pay to have Cato’s belongings removed, which is how the younger set of twins came to suspect that Cato did much more than sell beakers and burners. They do have quite an overactive imagination, those two. They’d been living with Augustus and Portia for about a month when they discovered their suspicions held weight (a thousand pounds worth).

    Why don’t Linus and Ophelia tell this story themselves? Easy. Not just anyone can write a piece of fiction! Linus is scientific, and Ophelia dissects novels a bit too much to get taken up in the writing of one. So they asked me, Bartholomew Inkster, to tell it for them because I know my way around a pen and some paper, and also because I believe their story is worth telling. That’s the most important qualification, after all.

    Before you continue on, I would like to explain a few things so you may be an informed reader. Being a self-educated, literary fussbudget (a needlessly fault-finding person), it is within my nature to explain a bit of the writing process as I proceed. You may choose to either use these tidbits of information to increase your knowledge of English and the fine art of writing, or ignore the opportunity to learn literary technique from an expert and simply skip over my explanations. If you choose to ignore the input that I have so generously provided regarding the writing craft, then you may also choose to ignore the simplified definitions of some of the rather advanced words I’ve used within the story—words that I’ve explained at the request of Linus, who seems to think my vocabulary rather too advanced for the average reader. For those who wish to increase their knowledge, read on. For those who prefer to ignore my teachings, well … read on anyway.

    one

    Bottles, Books, and Beakers

    Or Introducing the Setting and the Main Characters

    When Ophelia Easterday discovered the secret doorway, her brother Linus pretended he’d never seen it before. If anything bad should happen, he figured Ophelia might as well feel responsible too. And Linus didn’t want to hurt her feelings. As his twin sister, she was prone to believe he told her everything. He certainly didn’t want her to think any differently. Secrets do come in handy at times.

    You’ve got to see the attic, Linus. It’s fantastic!

    They stood in Uncle Augustus’s collection room on the second floor, where gowns and costumes from days gone by (organized by time period and fabric) hung in plastic bags on racks, all around the room.

    Ophelia moved aside a red velvet curtain to reveal what looked like a plumber’s big foul-up. Chunks of plaster were missing, wood laths peered through the holes, and a musty draft breathed over them. But if one pressed against the rightmost protrusion, a door opened without a sound. Ophelia pressed the spot.

    I thought there was a window under here. Imagine my surprise!

    Imagine, Linus thought.

    Look, steps! And you’re never going to believe what’s up there!

    A mad scientist’s lab? Linus thought.

    As you can see, my dears, Ophelia does a lot of talking while Linus does a lot of thinking. Not that Ophelia doesn’t think. Oh no. She is quite bright. Just as bright as Linus, in the IQ sense. However, Linus possesses mathematical smarts as well as practical smarts, which come in handy more often than Ophelia cares to admit. He is very handy around the house as well, and if you need a computer desk assembled, Linus is your man. But don’t be too hard on Ophelia. She would give you the shirt off her back. (That’s what we call a cliché, a word or phrase that is tired out, used by millions, and should never be found in the pages of a well-written book. I only included it here so as to alert you to such things used in the books of other writers. I go all around Robin Hood’s barn to avoid them like the plague.)

    Linus and Ophelia carefully ascended the dark, narrow staircase.

    Look—it’s a lab! Ophelia burst into the room, her head now level with the slanted planes of the ceiling. You know how attics are.

    Linus bent down a bit to fit through the small door. For a boy his age, his height, one could say, seemed a bit showy. And although he and Ophelia tore into the delicate fabric of society only minutes apart, they resembled one another not at all. Her dark, curly head came to the middle of Linus’s chest, and he looked down upon her with bright blue eyes beneath a head of straight blond hair. Linus described the two of them as the troll and the princess, while Ophelia argued, "Oh no. We’re Lennie and George from Of Mice and Men." This claim always made Linus roll his eyes. (You will have to read that book in high school, and then you will understand why Linus would rather be a troll.)

    The lab would have made anybody stare with open mouth, which is what both twins had done when they first saw it. Yet now upon their second entry into the attic, they stared open-mouthed again. The room affects people like that. I know I felt the same way the first time I entered the dimly lit space that smells of old shoes, horsehair, hot dogs, and geraniums. Shelves line the front and back walls where vials and bottles and baskets are neatly arranged and labeled. Ginger. Cardamom. Pekoe.

    Linus pulled out a basket, his fingers searching through odd bits of junk, most of it very old and seemingly workaday. Nuts, bolts, hinges, nails, bits of fabric, leather, Popsicle sticks, and silver cutlery.

    I could do a lot with this stuff, he thought.

    Look at these bottles, Linus! Ophelia touched another shelf. The bottles held liquids that glowed from the single beam of sunlight streaming through the small window above their heads. One bottle, pyramid shaped with a cork stopper, ietted a variety of colors at the same time! I wonder what this one’s for?

    Linus shook his head. Boy, would he like to find out! In some ways he was annoyed that his sister had also found the attic. Now he was responsible to someone else for whatever happened when he got his hands on these things. Could he, Linus, be a mad scientist in the making?

    On one shelf three glass jars — simply labeled One, Two, and Three—sat next to a mortar and pestle. Mandatory scientific apparatus

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