"A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies"

I got this little children's book from Amazon, as part of my on-going research into the neolithic village at Skara Brae in the Orkneys, for the novel I am writing. It was written by a Scottish woman who became a headmistress in Leicestershire and began writing stories for her own children. Born in 1890, she died in 1980 having become a fairly prolific author of novels and children's books.

The story it tells is compelling, and begins by setting the scene well, establishing the feel of life in those times for a clan living out a precarious existence on an island in the Orkneys, and having to adapt to change with the arrival of a boy who has a bronze axe and a need to explore and travel. 
The premise for Skara Brae is very different from my own, and I feel does not account for the sophisticated construction of Maeshowe. However she suggests that the clan is in decline having lost the knowledge of their ancestors, which is a reasonable supposition. 

What a shame that the author did not live to see the further finds south of the Skara Brae settlement. However, it is very well written as a story for children of about eight upwards- suggested age is 9+, and certainly would appeal to both boys and girls of top Junior school age (10-11), and should be within their vocabulary range, whilst she does not hesitate to use correct words for things mentioned. 
The book contains suspense, adventure, peril, and ends on an optimistic forward-looking note.