The Treasure Box

Gus, his mom and sister Hannah have recently moved from Calgary, Alberta, to Regina, Saskatchewan, to live with his grandad whose memory is beginning to fail. Mom is trying to talk Grandad into moving into a senior’s home where he would have lots of activities and make new friends, but Grandad is very resistant to the idea. Gus empathizes with him. He feels the same way moving to a new city, going to a new school and trying to make new friends. He misses his old friends so much, and he is angry with his dad for leaving them.

Gus’s full name is Augustus Ludwig Braunel, just like his grandad, but that name causes a great deal of trouble for him. He insists on being called Gus, but that name still causes grief. He becomes the center of attention in his grade five class because of his name, and, if that isn’t bad enough, the school bullies begin to harass him. On his very first day, Gus receives an assignment that requires him to find information about his family. He realizes that he actually knows very little about them. This is going to be a tough assignment. Hopefully, his granddad and mom can help.

Fortunately, Grandad has an attic full of papers and objects that he has mostly forgotten. Gus, given permission to go through anything he wishes, finds some very important materials. But one small box has extraordinary power. In it are several small pieces of memorabilia, and, when Gus takes a blue ribbon into his hand and experiences a shock to his fingers, he finds himself in a forest being burned by mercenary soldiers. His mind is in the present but also the past and he realizes he is a soldier in the German army during World War II. He must find his family, if they are still alive. There is a pouch on his hip that falls off as he continues his journey, and he finds himself back in the attic full of wonder and anxiety about what just happened. Gus is afraid to try this again but cannot help himself. He needs to find out who this man is, how he fits into Gus’s family and what happened to the soldier’s family. And, as Gus continues to research his family, he realizes how little he knows about the fascinating story of his ancestors. His family tree is full of interesting people and facts, and, with the help of his family, a neighbour, and the powerful little box, Gus finds out about his immediate family in present time, his ancestors in the past and how these unknown people helped shape the his family in the present.

Judith Silverthorne has written a well-researched novel for young readers. It has a time travelling theme but, just as important, The Treasure Box deals with family dynamics and how a new, young student ventures though the trials of making friends and handling bullies in the school setting. It would be an enjoyable read for a class beginning a study of family trees, and certainly, the story will pique the interest of young students for history, particularly family history.