When you have fourteen books to read and they arrive all at once, you have to put them in some order in which to read them. In the past I have read them in alphabetical order according to the author’s last name. That generally seems to work fine. If I do not put them into a purposeful order and stick to it, bad things tend to happen. I read all of the short ones first and I’m stuck with the monstrosities towards the end. I read the ones that look most exciting to me first and I’m stuck with the boring (sports) books for last.
This year, I did something different. Yes, they all arrived in one batch, but I decided to read them in the order that the computer says they arrived. How can one get any more random? Plus, I do pay particular attention to the novels that other people are requesting. So if there is a book that is being requested, I will move it up towards the top of my list to ensure that it gets back into circulation more quickly. I’m so considerate. Well, at least I can be.
Which means that Countdown was next in my pile. And I was less than thrilled. Number one, it is one of the thicker 2013 Caudill Nominees. Number two, it is school bus yellow. Number three, it has a 45 rpm vinyl record on the cover. Not that I have anything against 45s. I had access to a collection growing up. My favorite was In the Year 2525 which seems appropriate to this book. But there was another book with an album on the cover and I think my mind connected the two and I knew I wasn’t interested in the other story.
My disappointment was short-lived. Hurray! In fact, I’m likely to share this book quite a bit in the coming days. And not necessarily because I think the kids are going to love it. I think I am going to be passing this one on to the baby boomers. My mother and I were discussing books the evening that I was to begin Countdown. I had her interested in Dead End in Norvelt and Okay for Now primarily because of the historical setting. I hadn’t finished the first chapter of Countdown and I knew that she would want to read this one – perhaps even first! I only had to read the jacket summary and I was captured. Pay no attention to a book’s cover, I tell you!
What we have here is a documentary novel, the first of a planned trilogy, set during the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis. This 377 page book covers twelve days and it flies by. The story is interspersed with real news stories, footage and photos that occurred during 1962. There are posters and filmstrips including Bert the Turtle who knows how to duck and cover. The reader gets the opportunity to experience the life of an eleven-year-old girl as she lives through the Thirteen Days of Terror expecting every moment to possibly be her last.
And the best part is Franny, our protagonist. Her father is an Air Force pilot who travels much of the time. Her mother is a strict disciplinarian with a definite opinion on what is acceptable and what is not and Franny dare not side otherwise. Franny has a gorgeous, college-age sister who is beginning to act more and more like her mother. Franny’s younger brother Drew she calls St. Drew for he can do nothing wrong and he will not tell a lie – especially not for his sister. And then there is Uncle Otts who lives with Franny’s family. He is a World War II hero and seems to spend most of his time still living in those days. He is a drill sergeant to the family and a joke to the neighborhood.
Despite the history that is unfolding around her, Franny remains a real, live, flesh and blood character with strengths and flaws. She has her very own history happening in the moment. Her best friend has become her enemy and she is not sure why. There is a new boy on her block who looks like Del Shannon, Franny’s favorite singer, but he causes more tension between the once-friends. A girl in Franny’s grade is having a boy-girl Halloween party and Franny’s mother will never allow her to go. Not because it is co-ed, but because the girl’s mother is a dating divorcee. And worst of all, Franny feels that it doesn’t matter what she does, she is going to get in trouble for it. If she stops Uncle Otts from digging up her mother’s lawn, she’ll be in trouble with the Drill Sergeant. If she lets Uncle Otts dig up her mother’s lawn for a bomb shelter, her mom will kill her!
I think this would be a fabulous book to use in U.S. History class. The tweenage girls should love it because Franny is so believable and identifiable. And I think we can get the boys to embrace it because of the topic. Deborah Wiles has done a brilliant job of capturing the moments. It gave me the opportunity to experience my mother’s elementary years. She said so!
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