By Clare Vanderpool.
The story which moves back and forth between 1918 and 1936 is narrated by a 12 year old girl living in 1936. It covers many historical happenings such as The Prohibition, The Great Depression, World War One, Spanish Influenza, orphans, and immigration. Abeline Tucker who drifted with her father from one place to the next is left to live in Manifest, a small town in Kansas where he once lived. Abeline unearths the past lives of the town inhabitants from old letters, old articles and from the talk of some town folks. Abeline discovers the hardships faced by the immigrants in 1918 as they coped with tough conditions in the mines, prejudice against foreigners, the Influenza, World War I and its trenches, bootlegging, and more. Abeline who is trying to find out about her father’s impact on the little town, realizes in the end, that the town itself that had an effect on him. At last, she recognizes her love for the people there and that she has finally found a home in Manifest.
By Nancy Horan
An early 20th century story about the turbulent love affair between Frank Lloyd Wright, the famous architect, and Mamah Borthwick Cheney and its tragic consequences. The focus of the book is Mamah, an intelligent, educated woman, married to another, in a time where such an affair was a scandal. Mamah got a divorce from her husband but Frank's wife refused to divorce him. As in other stories whose main characters are brave women ahead of their time, not able fulfill themselves, in this book, the female protagonist pays a heavy price in the end. We go through Mamah emotional pain, doubts and her complicated relations with others beside Frank. We learn a lot about an unforgiving, condemning public that would not accept the affair and who saw her as an unfit mother and a home wrecker.
by Linda Sue Park
Tree-Ear, a young orphan in 12th century Korea is determined to be a potter. He lives with Crane-man, a straw weaver that raises him. A starving orphan, Tree-ear is in constant struggle for survival . Accidently he breaks a pot of his village master potter, Min. Tree-Ear works for him to pay off his debt and then as a helper. In the end, Min entrusts him with two sample pieces to be presented in the royal court. On his journey, disaster strikes and he is left with a single shard to show. Though the book set in Korea, it could have taken place almost anywhere in times when no help was available for homeless children. These children, with their humility, toil and wit succeed in enduring their harsh lives and tried their most to be someone's apprentices.
By Candice Millard
For those who love adventure and excitement, this is not the book.
President Theodore Roosevelt and his Kermit joined Brazilian explorer Candido Mariano da Silva Rondon, on a dangerous journey into the Amazon in the early 1900's. The book which chronicles the events that take place during the expedition, also delves into the relationship between the former President and his son, into the strong and competent character of Rondon. Without Rondon, the trip would have ended tragically for Roosevelt. The readers discover the President’s humility, humanity and perseverance. Hoping for a pleasant voyage, this poorly planned trip ends up being a struggle for survival. The participants faced food shortage, diseases, inadequate supplies, treacherous terrain, un-navigable rapids, dangerous animals, predatory insects, poisoned arrows, and their own inexperience. What is fascinating about this novel are the descriptions of the jungle with its wilderness and perils. One has to admire those who dared years ago with limited resources, to venture into the unknown.
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