ISBN 921870-74-4   5 1/4 x 7 5/8 190 pp, $8.95 Young Adult Novel Ages 9 to 15

Thompson offers a powerfully moving and historically accurate account of life in Fort St. James, in northern British Columbia, in the 1820s. Through the character of Peter, a young boy who is orphaned at the Fort, Thompson presents a vivid picture of the difficult life for both the fur traders and the Natives in what was then called the "Siberia" of the fur trade. Lonely and unsure of himself, Peter finds himself an "eyewitness" to a murder which threatens to destroy the good relations between the Company and the Carrier people. Through his friendship with the nephew of Chief Kwah of the Carrier, Peter comes to understand and sympathize with the Carrier culture, learning much about tolerance, compromise and acceptance, but also about the difficulties that divided loyalties can bring. Thompson also offers an innovative view of the role of women in the fur trade, painting a fascinating picture of the young James Douglas and his wife Amelia in the confrontation with Chief Kwah.

"In Peter Mackenzie, Margaret Thompson has created a living, breathing voice from the past. EYEWITNESS is a vividly woven story of adventure solidly based in historical fact. Thompson writes with eloquence and authority making this book a joy to read." —Cora Taylor

A separate Teacher's Guide is available for $5.95. Order directly from Ronsdale Press.

Margaret Thompson is the author of Squaring the Round: The Early Days of Fort St. James (1982) and a collection of short stories, Hide and Seek (Caitlin, 1996). She has been a high school English teacher in Merritt, Madeira Park, Sechelt and Fort St. James. She recently moved to Victoria where she now lives and works.