Here are my book reviews for Thursday,
November 15, 2001:
Eve Bunting has written another great
fiction book for 10 to 14 year olds. "Blackwater" is a story about 13
year old Brodie having to put up with his cousin, Alex, who has come to stay for
the summer. Alex is a bother to Brodie and he wished Alex would just stay down
in Los Angeles even though Alex's parents are having marital problems.
Brodie lives close to a rushing river where the local teenagers hang out and sunbath in the hot weather. One of their favorite places to gather is a large rock which protrudes into the raging river. Even though the kids that come to that location have to swim to get to the rock, it's much calmer on the town's side of the river. However, if you swim past the rock, the current will undoubtedly sweep you to your death. A few days after Alex's arrival, and only on page 19, does trouble begin and the pages begin to really turn. Brodie takes Alex out to see the rock but when he gets to the bank where the rock comes into view, he sees a girl he really likes out sunbathing with a boy he immediately doesn't like. As his feelings of jealousy begin to surface, he leaves the surface of the bank, and swims over to observe more closely. He decides to grab hold of the girl's legs and pulls her into the calmer side of the river. After a little bit of push and pull between Brodie and the other boy, Brodie decides to leave them both and swims back to the bank. That's when Brodie's life changes forever.
When he looks back, he can't see anyone on the rock. Where did the two people go? How could they disappear so quickly? Were they following him over to the bank? He waits to see. But still he sees no one! He shortly realizes that they must be getting swept down river. Without giving the whole plot away, suffice it to know that you must read the book to find out what happens to these two young people. But, Brodie makes some bad decisions and tries to cover up his involvement in this incident. He finds that the longer he waits to tell what really happened, the harder it is to tell the truth.
Ms. Bunting has definitely brought out some issues that we all have to face from time to time. And what of the consequences? Will right prevail? As you read the experiences and feelings of Brodie through this event, you can really relate to the difficulty that he faces. People from all over his community are treating him like a hero. But inside of him, he knows that the truth needs to come out sooner or later before it eats him alive.
There are few authors who can write such a variety of books. Ms. Bunting continually comes up with new issues and storylines that beg to be discussed. She has written such books as "Fly Away Home", that discusses homelessness. She has written the Caldecott winning book, "Smoky Night", about urban riots. She's written "The Wednesday Surprise", about illiteracy. She's explored more books that bring up difficult issues. But her true genius is the way that she can write many different kinds of genres. She's also written many light and funny books as well as historical fiction books. "Blackwater" is this year's Mark Twain Award Nominee.
"Coolies" by Yin, and illustrated by Chris Soentpiet, is a historical fiction picture book that will take you back to the mid-1800's when America was racing to build the transcontinental railway from coast to coast. Chinese people were brought over to America for the purpose of helping to build this system. The railroad companies had discovered that the Chinese were very hard workers and were used to many different kinds of weather conditions which seemed to be two of the most important ingredients for essential and effective workers on this incredible railroad project.
The story begins when a young boy listens as his grandmother tells about her great-great grandfather that came from China to help build the railroad. She tells her grandson, with pride, how this great ancestor, along with his brother, persevered against many calamities and under much discrimination, and helped complete the greatest engineering effort in that century. This story really opens the eyes of the reader to better appreciate all that these people did in order for them to settle in America. The pictures are truly incredible! They could almost stand alone with the amount of detail paid to each and every beautiful picture. But the text is so rich in the telling, one will be duly edified! By the end of this newly published book, there is no doubt that you will appreciate the sight of a train much more as it passes by! Great reading for all ages!
Holly