What an odd little tale this one was. It is written almost in the mode of one of the many Irish folk tale of Selkies; the same mater of fact and whimsical tone you find in so many of those old tales is present which takes on an almost rhythmic beat as you read along. I absolutely relished the author's syntax in this work.
This is the story of three friends in a small, could be anywhere kind of place, but in this case Texas town. It is dry there and the people of the village do no like water since their town was washed away by a flood in the past. The three friends, Martha Glimmer, a motherless young girl and two brothers, Trout and Ell McGill long to leave this dry boring place; to seek something more, to experience something that will fill the obvious void in their lives. They know beyond a doubt that there is something else out there, another world' a world they know they should be a part of in an instinctive way. Something is missing in their lives and they want answers.
There is of course a mystical quality about this book, this short book, but that is only right as it deals with the mystical part of the inner heart. There are several things going on throughout this work; the importance of friendship, trust, family relationships and most important the message of acceptance.
Not to throw in any spoilers, but there is something definitely fishlike about the two young boys. Their parents, a childless couple went on a vacation a number of years ago, and apparently "adopted" these two young men and have raised them in a loving home since. The boys are "different," in that they have webbed feet and hands and there is a look in their eye that is not all together of this world.
I would have liked to have seen this work fleshed out somewhat as the author has used some fascinating personalities to tell her story...she just does not supply enough information which could leave some readers a bit frustrated I fear. I personally did not mind as I read the work more for the story telling rhythm the author uses more than anything else.
This is a likable book with several good messages. It is a very fast read, but a read that you will want to ponder a bit to glean full value from it. I do very much recommend it and certainly suggest you add it to your reading list. I am giving this one five stars because for me it was a perfect fit and for me it was an extremely enjoyable read.
Don Blankenship
The Ozarks
- Accelerated Reading level : 5.8
- Paperback: 96 pages
- Publisher: Scholastic Paperbacks (June 2003)
- ISBN-10: 0439256364
- Take-a-Peek
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2 comments :
Hey Don, Have you ever read The Folk Keeper by Franny Billingsly? One of my favorite Selkie stories. More for preteens and YA than MG though.
No, I have not read it, but as chance would have it, I have seen it in the school library. It looks fascinating. I don't mind a well written preteen and YA book at all. It is going on my list. Actually, some of the better books hitting the streets recently fall into that category..IMO. But hey, I have a lot of little boy in me...:)
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