Kudos for
WALK: Jamie Bacon’s Secret Mission
on the Camino de Santiago

We are delighted that readers find value and pleasure in reading WALK. Here is a sampling of what people have said. There are more reviews posted on amazon.com.

Masterful…and a fine narrative arc

“Walk: Jamie Bacon’s Secret Mission on the Camino de Santiago is a terrific read, masterful in tone and texture with a fine narrative arc. Esther Jantzen’s level of good humor and care with detail is admirable, and the story line creates an entirely plausible account of one modern American family’s trek on the Camino. It’s a joyful book that I hope reaches a wide audience.”

— Prof. George Greenia, Founder, William & Mary Institute for Pilgrimage Studies

Find the wisdom of life and be inspired

“Regardless if you are young or more a senior, this is a beautifully told story. In it you will follow along on the adventures of a boy and sister as they learn of Spain’s history and Camino folklore. But farm more important, you will find the wisdom of life and be inspired to walk with courage each day wherever you are.”

—Alexander John Shaia, Returning From Camino, founder of Quadratos

A beautiful framework of adventure, mystery, and discovery

“Walk! is a great read! For kids, for walkers, for history buffs, for readers—here are surprising glimpses into history, religion, architecture, archaeology, geography, family relations, all within a beautiful framework of adventure, mystery, and discovery. Jamie as a reluctant participant is a familiar, accessible character for young readers (and older ones, too). His literal travel, step by step across Spain, becomes a journey motif through time, space, ideas and assumptions, toward awareness of self and others.

“The book is just simply well done, intriguing, interesting, full of information and complexity but always firmly centered in the real journeys of the characters.

—Catharine Roth, Parts of the Whole

An authentic spiritual journey & adventure story

“We have only one more chapter to read tomorrow night to finish Walk. It is fantastic. I am so impressed by how much I’ve learned reading it to my daughter. It’s an authentic spiritual journey of a young teen…while being an adventure story. The reader has to decide what they think it means. The only problem? Now I really want to go on the Camino!”

—Katherine Abernathy, Professor of English, University of Mobile

A great novel of childhood awakening

“I have walked the Camino. In preparation I did as most pilgrims do, I read the pilgrim books, searched the internet for appropriate blogs and talked to previous walkers. But I learned more about the Camino Francés and the cities on the route from this book than I had learned from my personal preparation.

“While I would recommend Jantzen’s book for children and young adults, it is by no means limited to that group. Any adult, pilgrim or not, would both enjoy and learn from this great novel of childhood awakening and religious pilgrimage. It made me want to walk the French Camino with Jantzen’s novel in my backpack.”

—Ned O’Malia, PhD, University of New Mexico

Learn along with Jamie

“Great well-written book! I will need to walk the Camino again because I missed so much. I learned about many historical figures and dramas along with Jamie. I think walkers and adventurers of all ages will like reading the book.”

—Carol Bevis, Camino pilgrim

Beautifully, sensitively written

“Walk…was beautifully and sensitively written…[and] richly deserves to be read and enjoyed by many.”

—John Brierley, “A Pilgrim’s Guide to the Camino de Santiago”

An odyssey of exploration and discovery

“It is an odyssey of exploration and discovery, of tantalizing tales and exploits, of castles and conquerors weaving 1000 years of colorful history into the daily adventures and trials of an exceptional family along the fabled Camino de Santiago.”

—James Herley, 91, father and businessman

I cried at the end

“I loved the book. It follows a grand, fascinating tradition in children’s literature of using fictional journeys to convey information. The best ones have plenty of drama along the way. And WALK has that! I cried at the end.”

—Linnea Hendrickson, Children’s librarian, scholar, pilgrim

Discovery, inner and outer

“An entertaining and informative journey of discovery, both inner and outer.”

—Kirkus Reviews

Swept away by Jamie’s quest

“Walk is a captivating adventure story involving history, legends, serendipity, loss, and surprise. I was swept away with the excitement of Jamie’s quest across Spain. A book for young and old alike that brings alive the uniqueness of the unforgettable Camino de Santiago experience. I absolutely loved it.”

—Adam Wells, Camino Mentor & Pilgrim

Raises wonderful questions

“I so enjoyed every minute reading this book. Jamie, in his innocence, thinks his mother and sister are changing, but his growth is the heart of the story. WALK raises wonderful questions for adults as well as youngsters—questions about integrity, priorities and keeping your word.”

—Margo Chamberlain, Librarian and writer

Re-read to take in the enormous education

“I read WALK more quickly than I would have because of the suspense: I wanted to know what the ‘secret’ was—so well done.… Now, though, I want to re-read it and take in the enormous education it contains.”

—Carol Christenson, poet

What other books overlook

I have read two or three true accounts of adults making the Walk, but I am learning so much from this book that adult travel accounts overlook!

Faith Salvo

A guide for parents and teens

“For pilgrims planning a Camino with teens, WALK is an insightful guide for both parents and kids as they manage through two life-altering experiences, the Camino and adolescence.”

Emilio Escudero, Psychotherapist and Pilgrim

To make good choices

” I love this book. It’s an engaging read and altogether delightful. It may be just the exact thing, the tiny seed taking root in a child’s mind, to aim for a life that includes travel and adventure. Fantastic role modeling to do the right thing; to make good choices. Get it for all your young relatives, and also one for yourself.”

—Susan Curington, artist and entrepreneur

It took me back to being a boy

“I so enjoyed the story.  It took me back to being a 15 year old boy with all the growing pains, insecurities, in the thick of that time of transition away from being a child, testing your parents in every way that occurs to you!  For Jamie to have the experiences you gave him at such an important time in his development was quite a journey.  To see and feel the Camino through his eyes was a masterclass in juxtaposition.  Congratulations on this huge achievement.  For them not to have got to the end, would have been too much for a reader to bear, and thankfully they did.“

—Jonathan Tod, MCIArb – Barrister

Bought five copies

“I loaned Walk to some friends, who then bought five copies plus a Kindle version.”

—Catharine Roth, Author, Parts of the Whole