Thanks so much for stopping by to celebrate the Book Birthday for Kathy Cannon Wiechman and her new book, EMPTY PLACES! I'm thrilled to announce that I won a copy of EMPTY PLACES from Carol Balwdin's Blog: www.carolbaldwinblog.blogspot.
AND NOW. . . The Book Birthday WINNER, chosen by random.org, is: Marileta Robinson
CONGRATULATIONS, MARILETA!!!!
(Please send your mailing address, your choice of either EMPTY PLACES or LIKE A RIVER--read below for reviews of the two books)
Gr 4-8-This is another fine work of historical fiction by the author of
Like a River: A Civil War Novel (Calkins Creek, 2015). Set in Kentucky
during the Great Depression, this book is written from the viewpoint of
13-year-old Adabel. With their mother gone, Adabel and her siblings must
deal with an alcoholic father who works in the coal mines. She
struggles to remember her younger days with her mother and yearns to
fill in the empty places in her memory. In this emotional read, Adabel
searches to uncover her past and what happened to her mother,
discovering some deep secrets along the way. Adabel worries about her
brother Pick, who leaves the family after a physical altercation with
their father. Adabel also has concerns about her older sister Raynelle's
plans to marry. Dramatic moments, such as when Adabel's younger sister
Blissie reaches into a fire to retrieve a treasured doll, will have
readers on the edge of their seats. Written in dialect appropriate to
the time period and geographical region, the story is told through short
chapters with believable dialogue and unforgettable characters. Closing
sections with author notes accompanied by historical photos and a
bibliography provide interesting background information. VERDICT
Wiechman offers a moving look at life during the Depression, family
relationships, and coal mining. School Library Journal March 2016
LIKE A RIVER: A Civil War NovelAuthor: Kathy Cannon Wiechman
Publisher:Calkins Creek/Boyds Mills
Kirkus *Starred* Review: The stories of three teens intersect in the later years of the Civil War in this debut novel. Fifteen-year-old Leander Jordan runs off to war from Ohio to prove he's a man. "Working in the foundry wasn't something to admire, not like being a soldier in uniform, a soldier who'd risk his life facing enemy guns. Pa had to see he was doing a manly thing." But he lands in a Southern hospital, where he befriends Paul Settles, another young Union soldier, who tends to his wounds. When they're separated, Paul ends up in hellish Andersonville Prison, where smallpox, scurvy and hunger plague the prisoners. There, Paul's friendship with Given McGlade, a fellow prisoner and Leander's neighbor from back home, helps keep them both alive. Though the prose is a bit florid early on, the stories are effectively related in twinned third-person narrative, and Wiechman's abundant research is unobtrusively folded into the tale. An excellent author's note provides further information about the times. Though the horrors of Andersonville and various Civil War-era events such as the Battle of Atlanta, Lincoln's assassination and the explosion of the steamboat Sultana provide wartime context, it's the secrets woven into the well-paced tale that will pull readers eagerly to the tearful conclusion. A superb Civil War tale of friendship, loyalty and what it means to be a man. (bibliography) (Historical fiction. 9-14)
Thank you, Kathy Cannon Wiechman, for sharing your writing wisdom with all of us.
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| Author Kathy Cannon Wiechman |
Learn more about Kathy and her books by visiting her website: http://kathycannonwiechman.com
Next up is a picture book author with a real tasty treat you're sure to love! Thanks again, dear readers, for joining the celebration of books!!!
Glad to have found your blog.
ReplyDeletegramswisewords.blogspot.com
Thank you, Marian!
DeleteThat lucky Marileta!! Congratulations to all!
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by to leave a comment, Alexandra and Alison!
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