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4.0 AVERAGE
4.0 AVERAGE
I finally got around to reading this year's Newbery winner, and I must say it was quite good. I loved piecing the story together through newspaper clippings, letters, and narrative.
This book was enjoyable, especially for a Newbery winner (which are notoriously hit or miss). I enjoyed the cast of characters, and of course the historical setting where the book takes place. However I must say that I enjoyed the 1918 chapters of the story more than the ones taking place in 1936. It was just a bit more interesting, and the two boys were a bit more fun to read about. That aside I liked this one, and will probably be adding it to my personal collection in the future.
Since I'd heard both good and bad things about this book I was truly prepared not to like this book. It might be a difficult text for lower readers because it's a combination of the current story combined with an earlier story. Interwoven are newspaper columns and letters that fill in events. It covers the depression and prohibition and entry into World War II. I also enjoyed the idea of the "Traveling Salvation Show" and the diviner, ideas that do not come up much in other young adult texts. This is a book I think could be useful in a social studies class as well as an English class.
A perfect children's book. 1) It was well written. The type of book that can be enjoyed by old and young alike. 2) Likable characters with dimension. 3) A story with heart. I know. That sounds so cliche. But I really became invested in the story. I cried. I was happy. I rooted for the town of Manifest.
emotional
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Wow. I was totally engrossed in this story. Admittedly, it was a slow start; I read the first page once, put the book down for a few days, and then I read the first page again, put the book down for a few days. But once I got through the first chapter, I was all in. This historical novel deserves to be called rich and heartfelt.
The Story: Twelve-year-old Abilene is sent to live in the small town of Manifest, Kansas, during the Great Depression. Her loving father, an itinerant railroad worker, realizes that his daughter is outgrowing their heretofore nomadic life and needs to plant some roots. So, he sends her off to Manifest to live with a an ex-bartender, now-preacher named Shady. On her first night, she discovers a mysterious box with old letters and mementos. These clues open the door to a story from two decades before, during WWI. The narrative switches back and forth between Abilene and the shadows of the past, offering lots of historical context, as well as a heaping dose of mystery. There are also matters of the heart that must be addressed. The two storylines weave together to a beautiful conclusion.
The Characters: Oh, the characters. I could wax on and on and on about the cast. There is a deeeeeep bench of awesome characters to enjoy. Abilene is a spirited, fearless girl that anyone can admire. She's smart, curious, and a mix of tough-soft. Her narrative voice is sincere. Then, you've got the community of Manifest, past and present. A severe nun-midwife. A gypsy fortune teller. Two orphan boys who form a memorable friendship. The meddling town gossip. The butcher, the baker, the candlestick maker. They're all there.
The Writing: After I got rolling with this book, I read it in about one day. Honestly, the author does require some concerted effort on the part of the reader. This isn't one of those novels where your eyes just race across the page. There were moments where I had to reread a passage in order to absorb the full meaning (or the full humor, or the full impact). That did not detract from my enjoyment of the book — the contrary. This book isn't a piece of candy. It's a full meal. The narrative was convincingly anchored in its time and setting, so it thoroughly sucked me in, all five senses engaged. The author uses period dialogue, as well as idioms and expressions, that are downright charming. The narrative structure is ambitious, and it totally delivers.
Good for: Anyone over the age of 12 or so. This book will appeal equally to adults as it will to the young.
Reminds me of: Hattie Big Sky. The WWI storyline touched on several of the same issues from the time period, such as (obviously) the naïveté of the boys enlisting in the military and their quick disillusionment, xenophobia of U.S. immigrants, and the impact of the Spanish influenza (which is particularly interesting since I read this during the COVID-19 self-isolation period).
Themes: Home and belonging, secrets, friendship, power
Warnings: Morally, the story is golden. The forces of good and evil battle each other in satisfying fashion. Evils that make an appearance in the book include the KKK, bootlegging, con-artistry, corruption, divination, and murder.
The Story: Twelve-year-old Abilene is sent to live in the small town of Manifest, Kansas, during the Great Depression. Her loving father, an itinerant railroad worker, realizes that his daughter is outgrowing their heretofore nomadic life and needs to plant some roots. So, he sends her off to Manifest to live with a an ex-bartender, now-preacher named Shady. On her first night, she discovers a mysterious box with old letters and mementos. These clues open the door to a story from two decades before, during WWI. The narrative switches back and forth between Abilene and the shadows of the past, offering lots of historical context, as well as a heaping dose of mystery. There are also matters of the heart that must be addressed. The two storylines weave together to a beautiful conclusion.
The Characters: Oh, the characters. I could wax on and on and on about the cast. There is a deeeeeep bench of awesome characters to enjoy. Abilene is a spirited, fearless girl that anyone can admire. She's smart, curious, and a mix of tough-soft. Her narrative voice is sincere. Then, you've got the community of Manifest, past and present. A severe nun-midwife. A gypsy fortune teller. Two orphan boys who form a memorable friendship. The meddling town gossip. The butcher, the baker, the candlestick maker. They're all there.
The Writing: After I got rolling with this book, I read it in about one day. Honestly, the author does require some concerted effort on the part of the reader. This isn't one of those novels where your eyes just race across the page. There were moments where I had to reread a passage in order to absorb the full meaning (or the full humor, or the full impact). That did not detract from my enjoyment of the book — the contrary. This book isn't a piece of candy. It's a full meal. The narrative was convincingly anchored in its time and setting, so it thoroughly sucked me in, all five senses engaged. The author uses period dialogue, as well as idioms and expressions, that are downright charming. The narrative structure is ambitious, and it totally delivers.
Good for: Anyone over the age of 12 or so. This book will appeal equally to adults as it will to the young.
Reminds me of: Hattie Big Sky. The WWI storyline touched on several of the same issues from the time period, such as (obviously) the naïveté of the boys enlisting in the military and their quick disillusionment, xenophobia of U.S. immigrants, and the impact of the Spanish influenza (which is particularly interesting since I read this during the COVID-19 self-isolation period).
Themes: Home and belonging, secrets, friendship, power
Warnings: Morally, the story is golden. The forces of good and evil battle each other in satisfying fashion. Evils that make an appearance in the book include the KKK, bootlegging, con-artistry, corruption, divination, and murder.
This story is really two stories. In 1936, Abilene is sent to live in the little town of Manifest, Kansas, when her father who's part hobo, part con artist, feels he can't care for her anymore. Once there, Abilene hears the story of Manifest in 1918, when a boy helps a town fight back against an evil mine owner.
This book took me a while to get into, partly because the frame story kind of bored me (Abilene doesn't do a whole lot more than listen and wonder) and the second story takes almost a hundred pages in to get really going. Once it did get in motion, I was gripped by it - but that's me as an adult. I have a hard time believing that me in sixth grade would have gotten that far, or even enjoyed it if I did. If the kids don't love this one, Mom and Dad will.
This book took me a while to get into, partly because the frame story kind of bored me (Abilene doesn't do a whole lot more than listen and wonder) and the second story takes almost a hundred pages in to get really going. Once it did get in motion, I was gripped by it - but that's me as an adult. I have a hard time believing that me in sixth grade would have gotten that far, or even enjoyed it if I did. If the kids don't love this one, Mom and Dad will.
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes