The Healing Bowl is a wonderful blend of modern adventure and Greek mythology.

Stories about gods and goddesses have always appealed to imaginative minds. However, mythologies can be boring for kids and young readers who lack interest in lengthy reads. Early readers prefer books about adventures and magic rather than revisit ancient myths. Recently, children’s book authors have tried to blend myths with modern adventures. Works like Rick Riordan’s The Lightning Thief and Ilium, a sci-fi book by Dan Simmons are both examples of the splendid blend of Greek mythology and modern fiction. In 2019, author Anita Fisk decides to write her adventure book featuring some of the characters from Greek mythology, entitled The Healing Bowl: A Harley and Friends Adventure.

The Healing Bowl

The Healing Bowl is set in the modern-day United States. The characters are seventh-graders at JFK Middle school, Harley Delosian and his best friend T.J., who always feels “fuzzy-headed” at the end of Ms. Clio’s class. Harley doesn’t pay much attention to T.J.’s concerns but grew suspicious of Ms. Clio after learning that another classmate, Sammy Crabtree, got injured while playing baseball. While their classmate lies in the hospital unconscious, Harley and his friends discover that their teacher may hold the key to Sammy’s recovery. The boys decided to take on a magical journey to find a cure for their friend. 

Anita Fisk is known for her thriller books Unintended Sacrifice, Twist of Fate, and Shadows of Secrets. To say that The Healing Bowl is a departure from her previous works is an understatement. Fans of Anita Fisk is up for a pleasant surprise with The Healing Bowl. Aside from choosing the school as a setting for the book, Fisk also created characters that children can identify with. While friendship as a central theme for most children’s book stories, the adventure is triggered by the need to find a cure for an unconscious friend. This is what provides the books with a sense of urgency and thrill, something that Anita Fisk is very good at, as evidence by her previous works. But Fisk’s real trick is providing her readers with a delightful end for The Healing Bowl. Overall, The Healing Bowl is a light, marvelous read that provides young kids an introduction to more interesting and serious literature like Greek mythology. 

Other Works

Twist of Fate

Twist of Fate is the Sequel to her book Unintended Sacrifices. One of the characters from the first book, Sunny Gardner escapes from her kidnappers. The books follow her struggle to get rid of the men pursuing her. Along the way, Sunny meets people who are willing to help her, but her heart is filled with distrust and suspicion. Twist of Fate is a story about a girl’s determination and her journey to freedom.

Shadows of Secrets

This is the third book by Anita Fisk and it’s a slight departure from her first two novels. The books still carry the signature Fisk suspense but this time the story deals with romantic obsession, murder, and dark schemes. It follows the story of Josephine Castle, a dessert expert who is haunted by her family’s unexpected demise. 

Unintended Sacrifices

In 2012, Anita Fisk published one of her stirring suspense novels entitled Unintended Sacrifices. It follows the story of the Morgan family who would soon find themselves trapped in a whirlwind of criminal activities such as abduction, murder, and human trafficking following summer vacation. 

About the Author 

Anita Fisk is a retired educator living in rural Nevada. Anita Fisk taught language arts classes for middle school through college from rural Nevada to inner-city Las Vegas for over 40 years. She also served as a public school administrator and writing consultant. Fisk is the recipient of numerous prestigious awards, including the Nevada Teacher of the Year, Christa McAuliffe Award, and the Milken Family Foundation Educator Award. She is also the author of “Shadows of Secrets,” “Unintended Sacrifices,” and “Twist of Fate.”