A Highland lad comes of age at the brutal battle of Culloden in 18th-century Scotland. In the year 1745, the cry goes out across the Scottish Highlands for every able-bodied Scotsman to take up arms in support of Bonnie Prince Charlie. Stalwart and brave but prone to sudden seizures, young Duncan longs to join his da and the other men of clan MacDonald in the noble fight against the English. His father decrees the boy must remain behind, but the call to war is impossible to ignore, and when Duncan learns of his uncle's death in battle, he joins his cousin Ewan and sets out to fight for their country and their prince. But the reality of war is not the glorious undertaking Duncan has long heard spoken of and sung in stirring ballads and stories - and on the battlefield of Culloden he will be tested in ways he never could have imagined and leave boyhood behind forever amid the blood, fire, and death. Critically acclaimed, award-winning authors Jane Yolen and Robert J. Harris merge their considerable storytelling talents in a riveting, moving tale of a young boy's rocky and perilous road to manhood. Richly atmospheric and firmly based in fact, Prince Across the Water is enthralling historical fiction - a powerful and unforgettable journey back in time and an unflinching look at the true face of war.
"Yolen and Harris reward readers with a gripping journey into the Scottish Highlands... Through authentic voices and vivid description, the Battle of Culloden comes alive in this boy's journey into manhood."
School Library Journal
"Starred review. Combining a sensitive portrayal with dramatic tension... this novel delivers a spirited historical adventure and a sympathetic hero."
