TeenTopix

Between Blume books last week…

October 14th, 2008 Katharine

I read Beth Kanell’s debut YA historical fiction book The Darkness Under the Water. Why re-read good old Judy?  Both Blume and Kanell will be part of this week’s Wisconsin Book Festival and I intend to see them both speak.

Many people associate Vermont with pleasant outdoor vacations and tubs of Ben and Jerry’s, but Kanell’s book introduces us to a time in Vermont’s past that wasn’t so idyllic. An unsettling part of our U.S. history, the eugenics movement, is fictionalized in The Darkness and will show young readers how an attempt at social Darwinism shaped a young girl’s town and life during the early years of the Depression.

Molly Ballou is part French-Canadian and part Native American (Abenaki tribe) and this poor, ethnically diverse teenager’s life is turned upside down when multiple tragedies define the summer she turns sixteen. Not only have state nurses come to town to evaluate children, but Waterford, VT is also dealing with a logging industry that is changing the river environment and beautiful Vermont landscape around them. On top of this, Molly is haunted by the ghost of her little sister Gratia who died years ago in a river accident, which lends a spiritual twist to this debut novel.

Much of the book is standard YA material; family tragedies, opposite sex relationships and lots of challenging life lessons to show you are ready for adulthood. Kanell’s book goes beyond this standard fare by also adding historical context throughout Molly’s story. My favorite history reference was when young Molly goes into the library and the librarian has the “new” Nancy Drew set aside for her. There was also a scene where Molly attends a dance for the first time and sees other young people trying out the new Charleston dance step. These historical tidbits were nice touches and made the book seem realistic. There were some parts to the story though where the narrator’s voice sounded alittle stiff and the ending seemed contrived, but overall this was a good YA debut for Kanell. 

Besides a graphic home-birthing scene, the content of The Darkness is pretty non-violent and would be a good choice for fifth and sixth grade readers that have enjoyed the Dear America or Little House series. The book also touches on some important issues about race and families that would be great starting points for some mature conversations, ones that Judy Blume books were starting twenty years ago. Go ahead read Are you there God, It’s Me Margaret it will be bring back some memories and you will be amazed at how well Blume, the original YA guru, gets it done.  See you at the Book Festival!

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