Bibliophile's Corner

The Slave Dancer
by Paula Fox

Flap Copy description:
Jessie Bollier was thirteen when he was kidnapped, bound in canvas, and carried across the ocean to the coast of Africa.
One day in 1840, Jessie was living with his mother and sister in New Orleans, where he earned pennies, playing his fife on the docks. The next day, he with his fife was on board The Moonlight, a slave ship, with a hateful duty awaiting him. The making of music seemed to Jessie to have no rightful place in the business of trading rum for black men, women, and children; of driving them through the dangerous heaving surf to a long boat; of chaining and bringing them to a waiting ship, and carrying them to a place where if they survived, they would be sold like cloth. But Jessie - his heart sinking - played his fife. He had to, for Captain Cawthorne would have the slaves "danced" to keep their muscles strong, their bodies profitable.
And the men of the ship accepted the custom. They would get their share of the profit, and so did not heed the horrors of the trade which every day grew more vivid, more inescapable to Jessie.
The Slave Dancer is Jessie's story of his voyage, of four months of his life and near death, in the unforgettable company of Purvis, Grime, and Stout of the crew and young Ras of the cargo.

My thoughts:
The Slave Dancer is the deeply moving story of a young boy, who after being kidnapped, must scratch and claw for every shred of courage he can muster, just to survive the voyage of the slave ship, The Moonlight.
Although this text is for middle grade readers, the depth of human experience and emotion would captivate adult readers as well. The author, Paula Fox, won the Newbery Medal Award in 1974 for this piercing and poignant tale.
(The treatment of African slaves is extremely graphic - I would not recommend this book for readers under ten years of age.)

Incredible Inspiration

I have seen the sea when it is stormy and wild; when it is quiet and serene; when it is dark and moody. And in all its moods, I see myself.


Martin Buxbaum

Storyteller's Journey

My self-imposed deadline to complete the rewrite of my MG fantasy novel, The Tale of Willaby Creek, is fast approaching. Why is it in life that just before you cross the finish line, reach the summit, or even graduate from college that many times one last group of obstacles attempts to thwart you in your goal? This past week my computer was hacked, we developed a major plumbing problem, and I decided to take a hard tumble on our brick terrace! After my husband issued the obligatory sympathy, I brushed myself off and am limping around with dark purple bruises as a sign of my lack of coordination. If these wounds had been acquired in some sort of true 'hero's journey' or were badges of courage somehow, I would rejoice - however, they're not. They only serve as one more distraction - and as another reason for me not to wear shorts!
     The good news is that I just finished my manuscript yesterday! Now it's time for revisions and editing. I'm still on track to submit my query letter to an agent, with my first ten pages, sometime in October. Stay tuned... I'll let you  know!

Writer in the Woods

Lake Quinault is fed by the Quinault River from the east, this river continues from the lake west, to the Pacific Ocean. Many visitors from around the world come to this paradise every summer - not only for the beauty - but for canoeing, kayaking, and swimming. However, no loud motorized watercraft are allowed - thank goodness!

This week another fern is featured - the Deer Fern. This beautiful fern is actually my favorite; it is pictured here in the front yard at our cabin. These ferns can also be used as house plants, when kept well-watered. The dried center shoots of the fern are said to resemble deer antlers, hence the name. This fern is a tough little specimen; it survives year round, although it is most vibrant in the spring and summer.

Whimsical Word of the Week

Snollygoster -

A shrewd person not guided by principles, especially a politician.

Potpourri of Poetry

The Rising Sun

The rising sun reminds us all,

that every day brings new possibilities.

And when tests and trials get in our way,

they're only the gateways to new realities.

So, remember still - the sun will rise,

on each new morn - a day of opportunities!

                                                         V.L.

Bibliophile's Corner

The Midwife's Apprentice
by Karen Cushman

Flap Copy description:
On a frosty morning sometime early in the fourteenth century, in a village somewhere in England, a girl known only as Brat was sleeping in a dung heap.
     "You girl. Are you alive or dead?"
When she opened her eyes, she saw an important-looking woman with a sharp glance and a sharp nose and a wimple starched into sharp pleats.This woman was Jane the Midwife, and she needed a helper...
Thus begins the funny, wise, compassionate story of the homeless waif who became the midwife's apprentice - a person with a name and a place in the world.

My thoughts:
Karen Cushman's, The Midwife's Apprentice, is the poignant tale of an orphan girl and the challenges she faces in finding her place in the world of medieval England. Her compassionate heart ultimately reveals to those around her, the kind of person she really is and what she was born to do. This beautifully written book won the 1996 Newbery Medal Award - I highly recommend it.