Framed's 2007 Book Reviews

Monday, April 02, 2007

*** This book was written for a young audience (9 to 12) and it has some great messages. Emma is a -12-year-old living in a small town during the Depression. Her best friend, Ivy, comes from a more affluent family and whose mother is quite the gossip. Many of the townspeople are close-minded and less accepting of the families living on the wrong side of the creek. During her 7th-grade year, Emma gains more confidence in herself and her ability to judge others. She learns to be more tolerant of differences. The novel also puts in a great plug for reading books. The title comes from a line in a poem by Elinor Wylie:
-1-
Whatever's good or bad or both
Is surely better than non;
There's grace in either love or loathe;
Sunlight, or freckles on the sun.
-2-
The worst and best are both inclined
To snap like vixens at the truth;
But, O beware the middle mind
That purrs and nevers hows a tooth!
-5-
Reason's a rabbit in a hutch,
And ecstacy's a were-wolf ghost;
But, O beware the nothing much
And welcome madness and the most!
The question raised is: Is it worse not to take a stand on something? To choose to remain indifferent, and not get involved? I really liked going back to a simpler place and time and live some of Emma's childhood, but also to have the point made that people were less accepting in that era. Wouldn't it be nice to have the best of both times?
Rating: 3
Posted by Framed at 7:10 PM

1 comments:
booklogged said...
That's a wonderful little poem and the book sounds good, too.