Book Review: Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy, by Gary D. Schmidt

Turner Buckminster had lived in Phippsburg, Maine, for almost six whole hours.

He didn't know how much longer he could stand it.

Summary:

Life as a minister's son was a heavy weight to bear. He was always getting caught doing something unbecoming a minister's son: running down the street, having his hands in his pockets, getting his starched white shirt dirty. Why, this boy from Boston couldn't even hit a baseball well enough to satisfy the townspeople. It was enough to make Turner Ernest Buckminster III want to light out for the Territories, "...where being a minister's son wouldn't matter worth a...well, worth a darn." Until he meets three people who impact his life in unexpected ways:

Turner meets Mrs. Cobb when the rock he skips down the street hits the fence her grandfather built with his own two hands. His relationship with Mrs. Cobb, who obsesses over having her final words heard by someone before she goes on to the hearafter, takes a decidedly surprising turn.

When he meets Mrs. Elia Hurd - the elderly mother of a church deacon - he's surprised to find in her a kindred spirit. "So, Turner Buckminster III," she asked, "when you look through the number at the end of your name, does it seem like you're looking through prison bars?"

And when he meets Lizzie Bright Griffin, she teaches him about how to hit a baseball in this Maine town, and shows him where to dig for clams, and introduces him to life on Malaga Island.

But then, Turner and Lizzie find out about the town leaders' plan to rid Malaga Island of its black inhabitants to make room for a new tourism trade. As the two friends try to save the island's people, their lives are changed forever.

For Teachers and Librarians:

This book is based on the actual events of Malaga Island's destruction in 1912. You can easily use this book as part of history units involving racism, treatment of black people, and ways of life for whites and blacks in the early 1900's in America. It is a perfect springboard into a research project on Malaga Island - locate Phippsburg and Malaga Island on a map, make a timeline of events leading to the destruction of the island, have the kids make profiles of the people living there, let them search the web to find photographs of the people and homes involved - both in Phippsburg and on Malaga Island. Let them compare and contrast the books events with the actual historical events. Have them create a map of how the two places looked in 1912, and how things look in present day. This book will bring up discussions on friendship, loyalty, family relationships, right vs wrong... There are a lot of ways to go with this one. How will you introduce this compelling story into your students' lives?

For Parents, Grandparents and Caregivers:

What a powerful piece of historical fiction. Kids will likely have a lot of questions as they read this book, and a lot of emotions may come forth. It's an important piece of work, because it shows your kids how blacks and whites lived and viewed each other in the early 1900's. The story is based on actual events surrounding the destruction of Malaga Island in 1912, and if you live close enough to visit, the trip will give kids an even stronger sense of what Turner and Lizzie were up against. Besides historical value, the book has personal value to your kids, too. Many kids struggle when they reach that fine line between still being a kid, and being ready to grow up, and this book is an example of how one boy walks that line. When asked what Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy was all about, the author said:

"It's what I always write about: what it is that makes a child move from childhood to adulthood. It's when a child starts to say, 'This is my decision. I make this call.' It s the message a child has to get - that there's a moment when you have to become your own person."

- from Calvin.edu interview

For the Kids:

Have you ever been "the new kid?" Well, that is precisely Turner Ernest Buckminster III's situation. He feels like he can't do anything right, and that people are always watching him, and that he just wants to go back to Boston where everything was good. Soon he meets Lizzie, and they become friends, and things start to get a little better. But Turner is white, and Lizzie is black. Back in 1912, people didn't like that too much. First Turner and Lizzie are forced to stay apart, and then they discover that the island Lizzie lives on is about to be destroyed. When they try to save the people living there, both of their lives are changed forever. What happens? How does it all turn out? Go pick up the book, and see for yourself...

For Everyone Else:

This is a story not to be missed, no matter how far away you are from being a kid. It's historical fiction from inside the heads of a 13-year-old boy and girl, complete with all the flurry of emotions that come with kids that age. If you've never heard of Malaga Island, or Phippsburg, Maine, this is an interesting, if haunting, introduction. Soon after reading this book, you may find yourself researching the places you've read about, and maybe even visiting those places. And learning is always a good thing...no matter how old you are.

Wrapping Up:

Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy is a not-to-be-missed novel, sure to become a classic. Find your copy soon...

Title: Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy

Author: Gary D. Schmidt

Pages: 224

Reading Level: Ages 10+

Publisher and Date: Clarion Books, May 2004

Edition: 1st

Language: English

Published In: United States

Price: $15.00

ISBN-10: 0618439293

ISBN-13: 978-0618439294

Book Review: The Willoughbys, by Lois Lowry

Once upon a time there was a family named Willoughby: an old-fashioned type of family, with four children.

Summary:
The Willoughbys begins with this innocent and fairly benign sentence. The rest of the book, however, is anything but. A baby mysteriously appears on the Willoughbys' doorstep. Since no one wants this "beastly baby," the Willoughby children - Tim, the twins Barnaby and Barnaby (called simply A and B), and Jane - are dispatched by their mother to "Dispose of it. I'm making meatloaf." The baby is taken to another doorstep. Soon after, the Willoughby children hatch a plan to orchestrate the demise of their parents. Meanwhile, the Willougby parents hatch a plan to sell the house and disperse the children. Do the parents perish? Are the children scattered? And what happens to the poor "beastly" baby?

Overview:

Not too thick, and not too thin, The Willoughbys is the perfect book to read on lazy summer afternoons. The bright red door peeking through the black and white drawings on the book cover draw the reader to come closer and take a peek. The book feels once-upon-a-time-ish with its simple drawings, ragged-edged pages, and of course the characters' own assertion that they are an old-fashioned family. 

Interspersed throughout this nefarious tale are snippets from and references to many classic stories, from Hansel and Gretel to James and the Giant Peach, and everything in between. But, the story doesn't take itself too seriously. It is, in fact, a tongue-in-cheek, playful parody on the classic old-fashioned stories: long-lost relatives, orphaned children, ill-tempered parents, abandoned babies, and strict nannies.

For even more fun, the author has included two extras at the end. First is a glossary, with definitions given for many of the words used in the book, along with some humorous commentary for each one, written as if she were just sitting and chatting with the reader. Second is a bibliography of all the stories and books mentioned in The Willoughbys, listing title, author, and a brief summary for each one.

For Teachers and Librarians:

This book make a great ending to a classic literature unit. Your students will enjoy reading/hearing about the dastardly plots of the parents and children, and laugh at how it all turns out. You can easily use it as a review, asking the children to identify and discuss the plot points of traditional stories that this book subtly makes fun of: the abandoned baby, the uncaring parents, the long-lost relative, the strict nanny, etc. The glossary and bibliography at the end are also great tools - for comic relief as well as education, and may make your young scholars seek out the titles listed, to see just what the Willoughbys were referring to throughout this book.

For Parents, Grandparents and Caregivers:

What a fun book to read together, or to give to your special kiddos to read on their own! It's a great summer read, as it's a book that doesn't take itself too seriously, but has such an interesting plot with so many surprising turns of events and ridiculous situations (which the characters pass off as nothing more than normal) that kids can't help but enjoy going along for the ride. Since the author sprinkles in titles and happenings from other classic literature throughout, it may cause your young readers to ask to visit the library or bookstore to pick up those titles as well.

For the Kids:

You will love, love, love The Willoughbys. It is a lot of fun! The Willoughby family is old-fashioned, but they have some interesting adventures. When the children find a baby girl on the doorstep, the oldest boy, Tim, names her Ruth, for a reason. What is it? The Willoughby twins both have the name Barnaby - and even the parents shorten it to call them "A" and "B." (But they're not the only Barnabys in this book. Hmm...) When the kids realize they don't like their parents very much, they decide to get rid of them. When the parents realize they don't like their kids very much, they decide to get rid of them. And none of them knows what the other is doing. How does it all turn out? Then there's the nanny the parents hired - how does she fit into all this? And can you believe it - that tiny baby turns out to be very important for everyone, without even knowing it. How could that be? Read it and find out...

For Everyone Else:

The Willoughbys is a fun, slightly twisted variation of the old stories you remember from childhood. In this parody, the children want to become winsome orphans, the parents are ridiculously uncaring, and misfortune is exaggerated to humorous proportions. You might especially enjoy the glossary at the end - the definitions are correct, but it's the extra little tidbits the author adds on to each one that will have you giggling out loud.

Wrapping Up:

The Willoughbys is a delightful departure from the usual old-fashioned tale. Find a comfy chair, curl up, and get reading. You won't be sorry!

Title: The Willoughbys

Author and Illustrator: Lois Lowry

Pages: 176

Reading Level: Ages 9-12

Publisher and Date: Houghton Mifflin/Walter Lorraine Books, March 2008

Edition: 1st

Language: English

Published In: United States

Price: $16.00

ISBN-10: 0618979743

ISBN-13: 978-0618979745