Review for Moon Over Manifest by Clare Vanderpool
* This review is
coursework for LS 5603 at TWU
Vanderpool,
Clare. Moon Over Manifest. New York: Delacorte Press, 2010. ISBN
978037585829.
12-year-old
Abilene Tucker has been a wanderer all of her young life, riding the rails with
her father from town to town. But in the summer of 1936, her father sends her
to his hometown of Manifest, Kansas, while he works on the railroad line. While getting settled into her new home with
family friend Pastor Howard, Abilene discovers a hidden cigar box full of
mementos from 1918. When Abilene and her new friends, Lettie and Ruthanne,
start digging into Manifest’s past, they discover the town has secrets that
it’s not ready to share. Abilene starts visiting Miss Sadie, the town diviner,
and the mystery begins to unravel; but will the stories lead to the town’s
further decline or to redemption? As Abilene realizes her father’s role in the
town’s history, she has to wonder – will he return for her, or is his past
something that he will hide from forever?
In Moon Over Manifest, Clare Vanderpool
takes readers on a double journey into the past. This novel begins in 1936 with
the struggle of the main character, Abilene, as she tries to find her way in a
new town. Once she begins to investigate the town’s past; however, the story
shifts to 1918, and the new characters of Jinx and Ned appear with their own
story. Vanderpool weaves the two stories together, combining mystery with
history. Stylistically, the story is
told with two different fonts – one for 1936 and one for 1918, which is helpful
for readers to keep the story straight. There is also a list of characters
included in the novel to help readers keep track of the many different people
in the story. From the beginning, the setting of the book, Manifest, Kansas, is
almost a character of it’s own. The town has an interesting history as a true
“melting pot” of immigrants from around the world, many who have come to work
in the coalmines. When entering the town in 1918, visitors are greeted by a
sign that says “Manifest: A Town With A Rich Past And A Bright Future”, but in
1936, then faded sign only says “Manifest: A Town With A Past.”
According to the publisher, the
reading level is ages 9-12, but older children can easily enjoy the book as
well. Kirkus recommends it up to age 14, and Library Media Connection suggests
up to 16. In the novel, Vanderpool explores themes that should appeal to readers
of those ages, dealing with belonging, family, and forgiveness. Abilene’s
inquiries help the town to take a look at its history, forgive
itself for the past, and offers hope for the future. Rich details and word
choice from the time period of both the Depression and World War I eras helps
to create an authentic and nostalgic feel to the novel. In addition, the
author’s note includes a glossary of some of the terms and historical events
within the book to help clarify parts of the story based on real historical
events or places. A list of sources and suggested reading is also included in
the novel’s back matter.
Moon
Over Manifest won the 2011 Newbery Medal, making Vanderpool the first
author since Joan Blos in 1980 to win the award for their debut novel. Moon Over Manifest was a New York Times
bestseller, a Junior Library Guild Selection and an NCSS-CBC Notable Social
Studies Trade Book for Young People. Kirkus’ starred review said, “The absolute
necessity of story as a way to redemption and healing past wounds is at the
heart of this beautiful debut, and readers will cherish every word up to the
heartbreaking yet hopeful and deeply gratifying ending.” Booklist starred
review states, “With believable dialogue, vocabulary and imagery appropriate to
time and place, and well-developed characters, this rich and rewarding first
novel is ‘like sucking on a butterscotch. Smooth and sweet.’”
Moon
Over Manifest covers the time periods including the Depression as well as
World War I. Topics such as immigration, coal miners, prohibition, and the
Spanish influenza are introduced, so a range of opportunities for exploring history
are opened up through the novel. Other Newbery winners touching on some of these
topics include Bud, not Buddy by
Christopher Paul Curtis, Year Down Under
by Richard Peck, Out of the Dust by
Karen Hesse, and Roll of Thunder, Hear My
Cry by Mildred Taylor. Other selections include Winnie’s War by Jenny Moss, Theodore
Roosevelt: Letters From a Young Coal Miner by Jennifer Armstrong, the
graphic novel The Storm in the Barn
by Matt Phelan, the picture book Potato:
A Tale from the Great Depression by Katie Lied, and the DK Eyewitness Books: World War I.
Classroom or library activities could include researching the history of a
student’s hometown or having readers make their own memento box of special
items.
Quote from Clare Vanderpool: “I came across a quote from Moby Dick. ‘It is not down in any map:
true places never are.’ That’s when the wheels began turning. What is a true
place? What would a true place be fore someone who has never lived anywhere for
more than a few weeks or months at a time?”
References:
Donovan, Mary.
"Moon Over Manifest." Moon Over Manifest.
http://moonovermanifestpresentation.weebly.com/clare-vanderpool.html (accessed
April 6, 2014).
"MOON OVER
MANIFEST." Kirkus Reviews.
https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/claire-vanderpool/moon-over-manifest/
(accessed April 6, 2014).
Vanderpool,
Clare. Moon Over Manifest. New York: Delacorte Press, 2010.
Review for The
Midwife’s Apprentice by Karen Cushman
* This review is
coursework for LS 5603 at TWU
Cushman, Karen. The
Midwife's Apprentice. New York: Clarion Books, 1995. ISBN 9780547722177.
The
Midwife’s Apprentice begins in an unusual place – a dung heap. The main
character, who has only known the name ‘Brat’ in her 12 or 13 years of life, is
trying to stay warm by sleeping there. She is discovered by the village
midwife, who calls her ‘Dung Beetle’, which quickly becomes her new name.
Beetle is cold, starving and homeless, and is taken in by the midwife, Jane
Sharp, as an assistant. Thus begins Beetle’s journey from waif to apprentice in
the small medieval English village. Despite having a floor to sleep on, and
small pieces of bread and cheese to eat, Beetle’s life is still difficult. She
is the brunt of village boys’ jokes and often the target of their cruelty. Jane
Sharp is a difficult and demanding woman, who worries about Beetle learning too
much and surpassing her role as midwife in the village. Beetle befriends a cat,
who becomes her constant companion, and eventually stands up to the boys who
were taunting her. She begins to pay attention and learn the trade of the
midwife. One day at the village fair, Beetle is mistaken for a girl who knows
how to read – and she decides to take the girl’s name ‘Alyce’ for her own. When
things go wrong during a delivery, Alyce runs away to a nearby inn; but after a while, she realizes that what she wants
most is a “full belly, a contented heart, and a place in this world,” and she
returns to the village to make that happen.
The
Midwife’s Apprentice tackles an unusual subject for a children’s book –
midwifery. Set in a medieval English village, The Midwife’s Apprentice rings true to the period with its setting,
language, characters and intricacies of village life. Great detail is given in
describing the daily life and routines of the cast of characters who inhabit
Alyce’s world. Medieval medicines and herbal remedies are given in particular
detail, especially those that apply to assisting childbirth. Cushman paints a
realistic and sometimes crude picture of life during those times. While not
delving into too much graphic detail, Cushman does depict the medieval
practices of childbirth. While fascinating, it may not appeal to some younger
readers who are confused or uncomfortable by the descriptions. Questions may
definitely arise about some of the practices used by midwifes of the period,
and Cushman provides an Author’s Note to explain some of the history of
midwifes and their techniques.
Throughout the book, it is enjoyable
to watch the character of Alyce as she develops and grows from a homeless waif
to a young lady with a goal and a purpose. Her journey to find her true self
and her place in the world will most likely ring true to its tween and teen
readers. Alyce’s strength in the face of adversity, and even cruelty, creates a
memorable character.
The
Midwife’s Apprentice won the Newbery Award in 1996. It was an ALA Best of the
Best Books for Young Adults and a School Library Journal Best Book. In a
starred review, Kirkus calls the language of the book, “simple, poetic, and
funny.” Horn Book calls it a “fascinating view of a far distant time.” School
Library Journal highlights the “Earthy humor, the foibles of humans both high
and low, and a fascinating mix of superstition and genuinely helpful herbal
remedies attached to childbirth make this a truly delightful introduction to a
world seldom seen in children’s literature.”
Readers who enjoy The Midwife’s Apprentice should also try
Cushman’s Newbery Honor winning book Catherine
Called Birdy, as well as her other novels such as Will Sparrow’s Road and the Alchemy
and Meggy Swan. If the medieval life
captures their attention, try other Newbery winners, Crispin: The Cross of Lead by Avi, The Door in the Wall by Marguerite de Angeli and Good Masters! Sweet Ladies!: Voices from a
Medieval Village by Laura Amy Schlitz. Other nonfiction books with a fun twist
include How Would You Survive in the
Middle Ages by Fiona MacDonald and David Salariya, MacDonald also has
several in a fun series of nonfiction history books including: You Wouldn’t Want to be in a Medieval
Dungeon, You Wouldn’t Want to Work on
a Medieval Cathedral, or You Wouldn’t
Want to be Sick in the 16th Century by Kathryn Senior. For
interactive activities, try Knights and
Castles: 50 Hands-On Activities to Experience the Middle Ages by Avery Hart
and Paul Mantell.
Quote from Karen
Cushman: “I'm
so proud and so moved when readers write me to tell me what a book meant to
them or how it helped them or what it reminded them of in their own life.”
References:
Cushman, Karen. The
Midwife's Apprentice. New York: Clarion Books, 1995.
Lane, Kirby.
"Kirby's Lane: A Place for Readers and Writers: Karen Cushman."
Kirby's Lane: A Place for Readers and Writers.
http://kirbyslane.blogspot.com/2009/07/karen-cushman.html (accessed April 8,
2014).
"Midwife's
Apprentice." The Midwife's Apprentice.
http://www.karencushman.com/reviews/midwife_r.html (accessed April 8, 2014).
Review for Dead End in
Norvelt by Jack Gantos – Audiobook
* This review is coursework for LS 5603 at TWU
Gantos, Jack. Dead
End in Norvelt. New York: Farrar Straus Giroux, 2011.
ASIN B005MM7FIG
(Audible Audiobook – Macmillan Audio 2011)
Dead End in Norvelt tells of all
that can happen to an almost 12-year-old boy one summer when he is “grounded
for life”. The character of Jack Gantos (attesting to some of the
autobiographical elements of the novel) lives in the small town of Norvelt,
Pennsylvania in 1962. His mom still loves the town, but ever since returning
from the war, Jack’s dad wants to fly to Florida for a new start in life. The town is quickly disappearing off the map, as many of the
original Norvelt residents are starting to pass away at an alarming rate. Jack
is allowed to help his elderly neighbor, Miss Volker, write the obituaries, and
for each one, she adds a bit of history. Things around town get even worse when
an autopsy shows that the residents have been poisoned, and everyone looks like
a suspect. By the book's end, the mystery is solved and Jack finally gets un-grounded; but once
he goes for a ride in his dad’s refurbished airplane against his mom’s wishes,
he may just be back where he started.
Dead End in Norvelt is a zany tale
filled with all kinds of outlandish characters and situations. The character of
Jack Gantos is a sympathetic and likeable boy, who quickly draws in the reader
(or listener) into his world. Norvelt is more than just a town, it is truly a
way of life. The town was developed by First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt as a
community with affordable housing. The city of Norvelt and its future become a
major focus of the book, as more and more residents are moving away or dying
off. The author Gantos does a remarkable job of weaving history into the book.
Readers will close this book having learned about much more than life in 1962, but
also about centuries of the past. The author cleverly touches history through
his creative incorporation of historical facts through Miss Volker’s
obituaries, her “This Day in History” columns, and Jack’s own reading while he’s grounded. However, readers never lose sight of the fact that
they are firmly in 1962. The author’s details about the time period, from the
types of cars driven to the types of storage bags used (wax folded bags) truly give the story an authentic feel.
One word of
warning though for the faint hearted, the book definitely has some
cringe-worthy moments. Throughout the story, Jack has a problem with chronic
nosebleeds any time he gets upset or excited about something. Well, with all
the crazy things going on in Norvelt, Jack gets A LOT of nosebleeds, and the
author spares no detail in describing them, as well as the rising body count at
the funeral home. Despite the more macabre moments, the author manages to pull
off charm, sensitivity, humor and heart throughout the story.
The Macmillan audio version of the
story (2011) is read by Jack Gantos himself and is an excellent way to
experience Dead End in Norvelt.
Gantos seamlessly switches between the voices of the characters. Most
distinctive, of course, is Jack Gantos’ version of Jack Gantos, which rings
true as a 12-year-old boy. At the end of the audiobook, there is an interview
with the author. Gantos helps explain how much of the story is completely
original, and how much is based on his own upbringing in the town of Norvelt.
Dead
End in Norvelt won the Newbery Medal and the Scott O’Dell Award for Historical
Fiction in 2012. Horn Book starred review states, “There’s more than
laugh-out-loud gothic comedy here. This is a richly layered
semi-autobiographical tale, an ode to a time and place, to history and the
power of reading.” In the Children’s Book-A-Day Almanac, Anita Silvey says, “Norvelt weds slapstick comedy to
historical fiction and a mystery novel, an unusual blend of elements that keeps
readers guessing about what is really happening in town until the final pages.”
Fans of Dead End in Norvelt will be happy to know that the sequel From Norvelt to Nowhere is now
available. Readers may also like Gantos’ popular Joey Pigza series, including National
Book Award finalist Joey Pigza Loses His
Key and Newbery Honor Joey Pigza
Loses Control. Older readers may want to read Jack Gantos’ autobiography Hole in my Life. Readers who want more
historical fiction with male protagonists can try The Wednesday Wars and Okay
for Now by Gary D. Schmidt. Other authors who write strong male characters
include Gordon Korman’s books such as Ungifted
and Schooled, Louis Sachar’s Holes and The Cardturner, and Carl Hiaasen’s Hoot and Chomp. Activities
based on Dead End in Norvelt could
include creating a ‘Day in History’ column and making a timeline of all the
historic events mentioned in Miss Volker’s obituaries.
Quote
from Jack Gantos: “The main reason that I’m a children’s author is that I know
that kids are the best readers. You know how to live in books, how to imagine
books. You can travel emotionally and mentally into books. You are the most
absorbent readers there are. I feel lucky to have you.”
References:
Gantos, Jack. Dead
End in Norvelt. New York: Farrar Straus Giroux, 2011.
Gantos, Jack.
"Jack's SECRET TIPS for Aspiring Authors." Jack Gantos RSS.
http://www.jackgantos.com/jacks-secret-tips-for-aspiring-authors/ (accessed
April 9, 2014).
Silvey, Anita.
"Book-A-Day Almanac." BookADay Almanac RSS.
http://childrensbookalmanac.com/2013/04/dead-end-in-norvelt/ (accessed April 9,
2014).
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