Glory Be

Scattergood, Augusta    Glory Be    

 Scholastic/Grolier/Childrens Press/Watts  2012  202p  $16.99      978-0-545-33180-7   VG-BN    elm/ms      Historical fiction     

In this delightfully written book about friendship, civil rights and segregation in small-town Mississippi in the early 1960s, the first thought that came to my mind was that this was The Help for young readers.  Young Gloriana and her friend Frankie present their view of civil rights workers coming to Hanging Moss, Mississippi, and how desegregation brought about change in their lives and community, as their families approach the "problem" from two very different perspectives. It is well written and engaging, and the author does a super job of making a complex and divisive subject understandable for the young reader.          

VG-BN Lynn Fisher                Race relations, Civil Rights Movement, Prejudice

 

Something To Hold

Noe, Katherine Schlick        Something To Hold       

 Houghton/Mifflin/Clarion/

Graphia/Kingfisher      2011  250p  $16.99      978-0-547-55813-4       elm/ms

Historical 

Based upon the author’s childhood, the novel looks at commonly-held stereotypes of Native Americans.  Kitty’s family moves to an Oregon Indian Reservation in 1962.  Kitty is accustomed to moving around the country since her father is an employee of the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs working with the forest service.  The family is now on the Warm Springs Reservation in Oregon.  Kitty feels a little out of place as one of few white children attending the school that educates 300 Native American children.  Kitty is aware of the prejudices and incorrect beliefs held by teachers and the white people in the nearest town, and she sees how their remarks insult the Native Americans.  She becomes a staunch supporter of her classmates, speaking up for them and calling out the injustices she witnesses in her classroom, at baseball games, and in the community.  A physically abusive father with alcohol problems is handled in an age-appropriate way.  Native American customs and beliefs are seamlessly interwoven into the narrative.  A lightning-caused forest fire makes for an exciting conclusion.  This novel provides a well-written look at what is even now the seldom discussed topic of racial prejudice against Native Americans.  A glossary/pronunciation guide and an author’s note correlating events in her childhood with those in the book are found at the end.  

     

VG    Lois McNicol      Native Americans, Prejudice

 

Towell, Ann. Grease Town

Towell, Ann Grease Town
Tundra Books 2010 232p 19.99
978-0-88776-983-2 elm/ms prejudice appears in Canada in 1860s in oil town VG


Titus Sullivan grows up too quickly when he stows away to Oil Springs, Ontario, an oil town where whites and blacks work side by side in the oil business. Prejudice does not triumph in this tale of the strength of family and tolerance in the 1860s. Not only did the United States fight the Civil War for slaves’ freedom, but also Canada, in its support of tolerance. In the 1850s and 60s our runaway slaves went north to find jobs, and in Oil Springs, Ontario, were forced to work for lower wages, exacerbating already turbulent economic times. As historical fiction, Grease Town is valid and even predictive of what happens when the hateful minority takes charge. It shows the world that prejudice appears everywhere, under a variety of circumstances. In this case, Titus Sullivan’s friendship with Moses, the young son of former slaves, is jeopardized when the members of the town burn down Negro shanties. After running through the night to warn Moses about the impending attack, Titus witnesses the entire incident, and helpless to prevent the conflagration, he shuts down both figuratively and literally. He cannot talk. Will he talk at the trial? The reader doesn’t know until the end of the book when Titus’s Aunt Sadie comes to town and harangues Uncle Amos, with whom Titus resides, to such an extent that Titus must speak out on his behalf! “Shut up!” he shouts at his aunt. Ann Towell adds humor to a dramatic resolution, and brings the book to a close when she has Titus speaking at the trial of the despicable men who had jeopardized the tentative peace of the oil town. This book has good character description and plot, and although children might prefer more action, there is a universal theme that is appealing and thought-provoking. Children learn a bit about oil drilling as well as about the rough characters that the oil business attracted to oil towns over a century ago. Realistic Fiction Squaresky, Martha

Towell, Ann. Grease Town

Towell, Ann Grease Town
Tundra Books 2010 232p 19.99
978-0-88776-983-2 elm/ms prejudice appears in Canada in 1860s in oil town VG


Titus Sullivan grows up too quickly when he stows away to Oil Springs, Ontario, an oil town where whites and blacks work side by side in the oil business. Prejudice does not triumph in this tale of the strength of family and tolerance in the 1860s. Not only did the United States fight the Civil War for slaves’ freedom, but also Canada, in its support of tolerance. In the 1850s and 60s our runaway slaves went north to find jobs, and in Oil Springs, Ontario, were forced to work for lower wages, exacerbating already turbulent economic times. As historical fiction, Grease Town is valid and even predictive of what happens when the hateful minority takes charge. It shows the world that prejudice appears everywhere, under a variety of circumstances. In this case, Titus Sullivan’s friendship with Moses, the young son of former slaves, is jeopardized when the members of the town burn down Negro shanties. After running through the night to warn Moses about the impending attack, Titus witnesses the entire incident, and helpless to prevent the conflagration, he shuts down both figuratively and literally. He cannot talk. Will he talk at the trial? The reader doesn’t know until the end of the book when Titus’s Aunt Sadie comes to town and harangues Uncle Amos, with whom Titus resides, to such an extent that Titus must speak out on his behalf! “Shut up!” he shouts at his aunt. Ann Towell adds humor to a dramatic resolution, and brings the book to a close when she has Titus speaking at the trial of the despicable men who had jeopardized the tentative peace of the oil town. This book has good character description and plot, and although children might prefer more action, there is a universal theme that is appealing and thought-provoking. Children learn a bit about oil drilling as well as about the rough characters that the oil business attracted to oil towns over a century ago. Realistic Fiction Squaresky, Martha

Uhlberg, Myron. Hands of My Father: A Hearing Boy, His Deaf Parents, and the Language of Love

Uhlberg, Myron. Hands of My Father: A Hearing Boy, His Deaf Parents, and the Language of Love
Random House/Knopf/Anchor/Three Rivers 2009 230p 23.00 978-0-553-80688-5 ms/hs

Children’s author tells the story of growing up as the hearing son of deaf parents and the trials, tribulations, and loving memories of being an emissary to the hearing world for his parents. Uhlberg tales evoke not only his life in the 1940 and 50’s, but the hearing world’s prejudices towards deaf people during that time. The expressiveness of his father’s signing as well as his love and devotion to his family and the struggle to provide for them will bring tears of sadness and joy to the reader’s eyes. Uhlberg, an award winning children’s author, tells the story of growing up as the hearing son of deaf parents. He relates the trials, tribulations, and loving memories of being an emissary to the hearing world for his deaf parents. From the age of five, Uhlberg had to be the intermediary between both worlds, a huge job for a small child. Although he is often ashamed of his parents for being deaf, it is because the hearing people exhibit extreme prejudice towards deaf people during the 1940’s and 1950’s. When Uhlberg’s younger brother becomes epileptic, his burden becomes heavier as he has to be a caretaker for him as well for a while. There are humorous parts also, like when Uhlberg has to mime the Joe Louis fight for his father that is being broadcast over the radio or interpret between his parents and his teacher on report card night. Although Uhlberg’s parents depended on him for many things, they also loved him very much and provided a good, loving and solid family life. Uhlberg’s love for his parents is evident in his writing, especially when he describes his father’s expressive signing, his curiosity about things, and is affection for his family. Readers may experience both laughter and tears as they read this memoir. This book would be an excellent addition to both middle and high school libraries. Tina Weinraub

The Secret Life of Sparrow Delaney.

Harper, Suzanne. The Secret Life of Sparrow Delaney.
Greenwillow(Harper Collins), 2007. $17.89 364p 978-0-06-113159-2
In Lily Dale, New York, a community dedicated to the religion of Spiritualism, tenth-grader Sparrow Delaney, the youngest daughter in an eccentric family of psychics, agonizes over whether to reveal her special abilities to help a friend.
What do you do when you see spirits and you are the 7th daughter of a 7th daughter in a family of psychics and you live in a community of spiritualists? If you are 10th grader Sparrow, you deny your gift and go to a high school as far away from your home as possible. Sparrow’s eccentric family is puzzled by Sparrow’s apparent lack of spiritual gifts, and they continue to hope that she will show some sign of being as gifted as they are. Sparrow has done an admirable job hiding her gifts and her spirit guides, but unfortunately, she can’t hide those gifts from the ghost of Luke, a teenage boy whom she encounters in her new school. The persistent ghost just happens to be the brother of Jack, a boy who catches Sparrow’s interest, and he adamantly maintains that Luke is not dead. Luke needs Sparrow’s psychic gifts to help Jack come to terms with his disappearance and his death. Sparrow needs to claim her gift to accomplish it. She also comes to terms with her abilities when she realizes that it is a gift that can bring healing to others. Sparrow is an entertaining character, as are the spirit guides. The dialog is natural, and the plot moves at a good pace. Luke and Jack’s story have an ending similar to the movie Ghost, which gave the originality of the Sparrow’s world, is probably the only way to bring the story to a satisfying conclusion. Nonetheless, this is an entertaining well-written read, with both emotion and wit.
Recommended for collections looking for a lighthearted approach to the supernatural. RZ

Case Against My Brother.

Sternberg, Libby. Case Against My Brother.
Bancroft, 2007. $19.95 205p 1-890862-51-7

An inspiring story that shows a brother’s faith in his sibling. As he tries to clear his brother of a crime 15 year old Carl is confronted with bigotry.
This is a very touching story that takes place in Portland, Oregon during 1922. It was the era after the World War when people were afraid of the spread of Bolshevism.
When their mother’s died, the two brothers go to live with an uncle in Portland Oregon. They are very poor and live very sparingly. They must work several jobs just to make ends meet. The climate of the community is anti-Catholic and anti-immigrants. This makes living very hard for the brothers. Adam, the older brother, is arrested for stealing some jewels from the family of a girl he had been seeing. It created a time of strife for Carl, the younger brother. He tried to clear his brother’s name; as well as deal with the Klu Klux Klan when they threatened their uncle in front of their house.
Even with all the strife and road blocks, the author shows how a young boy finds himself and matures. It is a historical novel that provides and insight into the culture of the time period. LM