Timothy of the Cay

I so thoroughly enjoyed The Cay by Theodore Taylor that when I discovered Timothy of the Cay, I pounced on it.

“Kids, look!” I cried.  “Remember The Cay?  Here’s a prequel-sequel.”

“What does that mean?” they asked.

Good question, I thought.  What is a prequel-sequel?

It’s a masterfully-written story, telling Timothy’s story before he ended up on the boat that Phillip was on.  The one the Nazi submarine torpedoed, causing Timothy and Phillip to end up on the same raft in the middle of the Caribbean.  That’s the prequel.

It also tells the story of Phillip after he was rescued – his reunion with his parents and his quest to regain his sight so he could see the cay where he and Timothy had spent so much time.  That’s the sequel.

And both are woven together so readers are never left wondering what happened to either character.

Even though it had been at least a year since I had listened to The Cay with my children, I had no trouble picking up Timothy of the Cay and reading it.  Taylor includes enough detail to help readers remember Phillip and Timothy’s story.  And after reading it, I love Timothy even more.

Highly recommended for ages 10 and up.