Mare's War

Here is a prime example of why I use awards and honors for recommendations for my own reading lists. I am a white girl. SURPRISE! Yeah, I've got rhythm. I can follow the beat. If there is music, I will dance. Can't help it. Some rhythms are harder to feel than others, (I'm thinking Tanzanian,) but I can be taught! In literature, I know where I will naturally gravitate without a nudge. But my patrons do not consist only of white girls and geeky boys. I turn to the Coretta Scott King Award to guide me in my African American experience.

This year's Author Award went to Bad News for Outlaws: The Remarkable Life of Bass Reeves, Deputy U.S. Marshall by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson. Decatur Public Library (DPL) call # - JB Reeves, B. Yep! Non-Fiction Bio. Sorry. But it is slight in width, tall in size and picture book format so I did glance through it, but still too much text ... hahaha.

One book DID receive honors and that is Mare's War by Tanita S. Davis. It can be found in both Juvenile and Young Adult so I'm saying this book would be good for 8th grade girls and up. It is set in the present with flashbacks during World War II. Tali and Octavia are teenage sisters who have been forced to drive cross country with their Grandmother, Mare, to a family reunion during their summer vacation. Can we say "NOT HAPPY"?

Let's see ... Mare smokes like a chimney ... listens to bad music ... drives too slowly ... is not supposed to drive at night, but does anyway ... is smarter than a whip ... and knows what two teenage girls will do when left to their own devices. BUT, Mare has had an extremely interesting life that she begins to share with the sisters. And these flashbacks were the best part of the book. Mare joined the African American regiment of the Women's Army Corps (WACs) and had to lie in order to do it because she was too young. She had assignments in America, England and France.

Mare was able to leave behind the responsibilities that were expected of her: working on the family farm, watching out for her younger sister, cleaning a rich white woman's house during the day, and working in a diner at night. If that doesn't tire you out, what will? Basic training. Dangerous, ocean voyage. Air raid drills. Making sure the soldiers' mail gets to the right person in a reasonable amount of time. Fabulous story. I haven't read too much about the WACs in juvenile fiction. African American regiment? Unheard of until now.

There are some "heads-up" which I will share without spoiling too much I hope. I mentioned the smoking, but the teenagers badger their Mare to no end about it being gross and unhealthy. Mare's mother is a widow and she seems to have a few live-in boyfriends. One in particular has plans to molest Mare's younger sister. There is a scene where he makes advances on Mare as well. Mare protects her sister by using a gun. No one is hurt, but she aimed to kill. One of Mare's friends in her regiment is believed to be a lesbian although it is not referred to as such or as bluntly. Finally, Tali orders an alcoholic beverage in a bar and has plans to pick up an older man. Luckily her plans are thwarted by Mare and she is punished. Oh, and there is some underage, without-a-learner's permit driving.

The Coretta Scott King Book Award is presented annually by the Coretta Scott King Task Force of the American Library Association's Ethnic Multicultural Information Exchange Round Table (EMIERT). Recipients are authors and illustrators of African descent whose distinguished books promote an understanding and appreciation of the "American Dream" Author awards began in 1970, while illustrator awards began in 1974.

Going to start tackling the 2011 Caudills next ...