Fifteen-year old Callum Murdoch knows he is a fool. No sooner has he arrived from Scotland than he's handed over his savings to a stranger for a filthy, half-starved dog and a strange, carved box. How will he explain this to his Uncle Rory, a man he has never met and the only relative willing to give him a home? Was his impusive decision inspired by loneliness? Or was it the subtle glint in Dog's eye.

Callum is unprepared for the grinding physical labour of working on a farm. His only source of comfort is Dog. She seems to know all his secret wishes and fears. With Dog by his side, Callum gains the courage to assert his independence in the New World. But when the mysterious carved box accidentally breaks open, Callum is faced with some astonishing revelations -- and some difficult decisions.

REVIEWS:

"The Carved Box is a thoroughly satisfying historical novel with just a whiff of fancy."
Jeffrey Canton - Quill and Quire

"A very good first novel, notable for its evocation of time and place."
Susan Perren - The Globe and Mail