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The Flint Heart Audiobook
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(3.02) - 598 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
Long ago, in the land of Dartmoor, a magic man created an enchanted charm that granted its possessor incredible power—at the cost of the wearer’s own tenderness and compassion. After the merciless Flint Heart causes much destruction, it is lost among the reeds and rocks of the moor, where a kindly farmer discovers it thousands of years later. With the Flint Heart in his possession, the once adoring father Billy Jago is transformed into a cruel and merciless brute. Young Charles is determined to win back his father’s true nature, and with his sister Unity and dog, Ship, he sets off into an enchanted world where animals talk, fairies hold elaborate banquets, and magical mischief must be resolved to bring Dartmoor and Merripit Farm back to rights again.
This luminous fantasy by Katherine and John Paterson, freely abridged from Eden Phillpotts’s original story, is a tale that promises to capture the hearts of listeners with an enchantment all its own.
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"Lovely adaptation, gorgeous illustrations. Makes me want to visit the moors in South England. With the help of the illustrations, I could clearly see the story playing out in my mind, like a film. Actually, I wouldn't be surprised if it's been optioned for a movie. I would hope this would be a Newbury contender."
— Emily (4 out of 5 stars)
Quotes
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“Magical adventure…A grand tale skillfully updated and tightened up, this should win the hearts of a new generation.”
— Kirkus Reviews (starred review) -
“The Patersons have done a stellar job of maintaining the book’s period feel while creating a fresher, tighter story that feels tailor-made for family reading.”
— Publishers Weekly (starred review) -
“Told in the voice of a storyteller in the style of A. A. Milne or J. M. Barrie…The Patersons have done a lovely job updating and abridging this tale for today’s readers.”
— School Library Journal
Awards
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A 2011 Publishers Weekly Best Book: Children's Fiction
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A 2012 Audie Award Finalist
The Flint Heart Listener Reviews
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" A very basic plot-line, with a lot of fluff to fill in the gaps, and limited character development. Definitely geared for a younger reader. Cute story overall. "
— Elizabeth, 2/20/2014 -
" A modernized retelling of 1910 FlintHeart story...charming, well written, fantasy with humor and heart. "
— Joann, 2/20/2014 -
" A clever, charming retelling of a British children's novel, probably Victorian. "
— Mary, 2/15/2014 -
" A sweet book, filled with several small stories which all involve the Flint Heart (the subject of the book title), and make up the Heart's larger tale. The innocent and simplistic writing style, combined with the bite-sized story segments, make this an excellent and age-appropriate book for young readers. Suggest for 3rd through 5th grade reading levels. "
— Elisabeth, 1/16/2014 -
" I really enjoyed the beginning, but it totally went downhill for me at about the halfway point. I'm not sure why. "
— Stacy, 1/8/2014 -
" A fun and magical story. "
— Dawn, 1/6/2014 -
" Grades 4+ "
— Molly, 1/4/2014 -
" Unique and quirky with lots of big words and wonderful illustrations. First story I've ever read with a hot-water bottle character. "
— Ms.Gaye, 12/27/2013 -
" The story started out with an intriguing concept. The longer I read, the more disappointed I became. "
— Karen, 12/27/2013 -
" Really hard to get into and follow... :( "
— Amanda, 12/19/2013 -
" Katherine Paterson and her husband/co-author have rescued a great story from the dustbin of history and re-imagined it for a different generation!! "
— Meribeth, 12/6/2013 -
" 5 stars for the gorgeous illustrations but the story?.....meh...... "
— Catherine, 12/6/2013 -
" Beautifully designed. "
— Joy, 7/30/2013 -
" A cute and clevor story kids will like. It had a lot of random details that seemed a little strange (the characters include humans, fairies, animals, some things that you never quite figure out what they are, and finally, of all things, a hot water bottle--wierd!), but it was fun and humorous. "
— Lauren, 7/18/2013 -
" This book was alright, but it felt like a child's Lord of the Rings. It just didn't hold my interest. "
— Jennifer, 2/5/2013 -
" this was a cute book...not sure if it belongs in jr/sr high school library. i liked the story, a new "fairytale" for me. the illustrations were beautiful and a great enhancement to the story. the blend of modern with "stone age" was kind of neat too. "
— Sue, 2/5/2013 -
" I wanted to like it more thzan I did. I had the pleasure of hearing the author speak about the book and it sounded wonderful and like a tribute to wonder and imagination. Parts of the story were just that and other parts were just odd. "
— Kkakaliouras, 11/26/2012 -
" Book club with the little girls "
— Aislinn, 11/19/2012 -
" An enjoyable fary tale adapted from a 1910 fantasy. "
— Edward, 9/16/2012 -
" Read aloud to my kids. The loved it. I found it hard to follow and had a really hard time understanding the water bottle character. Why a water bottle? Very odd. I didn't know it was a rewrite of an old story. "
— JJ, 11/27/2011 -
" Loved it!!! Shows that anything or anybody can have a "flint heart" if they find it.... "
— Debra, 10/30/2011 -
" Now I'm wondering what the unabridged original by Eden Philpotts was like. "
— Rebekah, 10/5/2011 -
" A beautiful children's book. A lovely fantasy with amazing characters, each with distinct personalities that the reader grows very attached to.<br/><br/>This is a heartwarming adventure that if filled with color and magic and whimsy. "
— Lora, 10/3/2011 -
" Just pure delight from beginning to end. This story begs, begs, begs to be read aloud. The beautiful pictures add to the magic. "
— Kim, 10/1/2011 -
" I enjoyed the book but it wasn't drawn to reading it all the way through. Maybe it was the writing style or voice. I was surprised since it is an interesting plot/story. "
— Debbiea, 9/4/2011
About the Authors
Katherine Paterson was born in China, where she spent part of her childhood. After her education in China and the American South, she spent four years in Japan, the setting for her first three novels. She has received numerous awards for her writing, including two National Book Awards and two Newbery Medals. An active promoter of reading and literacy, she lives with her husband in Barre, Vermont. They have four grown children.
John Paterson Sr. has collaborated with his wife, Katherine, on Consider the Lilies: Plants of the Bible, Images of God, and Blueberries for the Queen. He lives with his wife in Barre, Vermont.
About Ralph Lister
Ralph Lister is an actor, voice actor, and AudioFile Earphones Award–winning narrator. He spent fifteen years in London theater before moving to the United States to focus on film and television. He has held numerous roles in Shakespeare and modern dramas, as well as starring roles in independent films. His voice and character work can be heard in Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearland 13 Going On 30. He lives in Los Angeles.