The Boy Who Flew With Eagles

By Ben Woodard

By the light of leaping flames an old man weaves a heart-pounding tale. A story of a time of great hunger when man and beast might die. Only one boy can save his people and the other creatures from starvation. But he must face a terrifying challenge.

The story combines myth, environmental awareness and the concept of working together. Action and adventure in a short middle grade novel with illustrations.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Ben Woodard
• Release date: Nov 8, 2011
• ISBN: 9781465739148

Ben Woodard

Ben’s imagination has led to adventures around the world.Trekking Tibet and Mt Everest.Studying in Austria.Hiking in Scotland.Bicycling rail trails.House building in GuatemalaAnd now, imagining original children stories told through Spellbinders and through his books. Imagination fired by adventure and experiences.Ben is active in SCBWI and a member of a local children’s writing critique group. He is a former Marketing Manager for a major corporation and ran his own marketing consulting business. He started writing children’s stories in 2008 and has completed over twenty books including picture books, middle grade and young adult. He lives with his wife in Lexington, Kentucky.

Book preview

Prologue

He sat by the fire, eyes closed, shadows dancing on his gnarled face. The children tiptoed into the clearing and spread around the crackling wood. Flames flickered into the midnight sky mingling their sparks with the stars. The children waited patiently in the silence, hearts thudding at the pops and murmurs of the wood. They jumped as the old man raised his arms and flames leaped in a tapestry of yellow and red. He lowered his arms and the blaze returned to a flicker. Opening his eyes, he stared at each child with a dark and distant look. He began the story, his words becoming visions:

The boy called Naa’ki climbed out on a rock above the lake and gazed across the rippling blue water. He stood dreaming of canoeing to the far ends of the shining water with his father. This was his morning ritual. A time to think and be alone before his daily chores began. Eyes closed he felt the feathery touch of the wind and heard the lapping of waves.

He gasped as a crushing pain seared his chest. His eyes sprang open. The ground fell away as he rose off the rock thrashing and screaming. A giant eagle held him, its talons digging into his ribs. He struggled to breathe. The sour smell of the eagle’s ruffled chest invaded his nose. The wings smacked his face with each beat. He lowered his head to protect his eyes from the crinkled feathers.

Below, a forest of green mixed with sparkling water spread in all directions. The lake stretched like a fat silver salmon below Naa’ki. In the distance, he glimpsed the Great Salt Water. Water that goes on forever, his father said.

With blood seeping through his buckskin shirt, Naa’ki shouted out to the huge bird:

Mother Eagle, what are you going to do with me?

I am taking you to my nest, the eagle replied, to feed my children.

Naa’ki’s lips trembled: Why? he asked. Eagles do not eat humans, they eat fish.

Your people have taken all the fish, said the eagle. "Father Eagle left the nest so there will be more food for us. I have to go farther and farther to find food, and my children are dying. I will feed them

Reviews for The Boy Who Flew With Eagles

[karensstories · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I bought this book with the thought that my grandchildren might enjoy it, and I loved it. It is a beautifully written story, crafted with an eloquence I've rarely, if ever, found in a children's book. It is the story of Naa'ki, a Native American boy, who saves his own life by forming a pact with the eagles. The eagles learn about trust; Naa'ki learns about life, and together they teach the important lesson of sharing. Without reservation, I recommend Mr. Woodard's tale to anyone who appreciates a well written story.