Here it is! I
have read all of the Newbery winner and honor books and I have MY official
winner. If I were the 2013 Newbery Committee, I would have given the Newbery
Medal to… Splendors and Glooms! I
would have awarded ONE honor medal to… Bomb!
I still back Bomb as a winner, but
since it did receive three awards this year, AND because Steve Sheinkin had a
great true story to work with, I give Laura Amy Schlitz the medal. These 384 pages
came straight out of her head.
Once upon a
time, there was a witch who acquired her power through a stolen gemstone – a fire
opal. The fire opal was also her curse. It sabotaged her health even as it
filled her with influence over those around her. It would also claim her life
if she refused to give it up. One of those under her sway was a young magician.
Well, he was young at one time. He was a master puppeteer as well as an
accomplished thief. He wanted the opal and tried to make it his own, but he
didn’t understand the rules even though he was aware of the curse.
This is neither
the witch nor the magician’s story, but they are our villains. The magician
took his business to London where he recruited a helper from the workhouse. His
new ward, Parsefall, is a young orpheling whose future was dim until the
magician chose him. Parsefall learned the business, both puppetry and
pickpocketing and he excelled. The magician ensured that Parsefall would never
leave him through macabre means. Parsefall would not leave. His thoughts are
filled only of mastering his skills with the puppets. He is an uneducated
street urchin. He is dirty and doesn’t mind.
One child was
not enough for the magician. He also acquired a young girl when her actor
parents succumbed to cholera. Lizzie Rose is the polar opposite of Parsefall. Lizzie
Rose is a lady despite her situation. She uses proper English, grammar and diction.
She would like to rise above her condition and bring Parsefall along. She
considers him her brother. Lizzie Rose is goodness itself. She is the kind of
saint who strives to be her best, but always worries that she does not do good
enough. If there was a voice that told the story with the most clarity, it was
Lizzie Rose.
It is this trio,
performing their puppet show in the square that Clara Wintermute stumbles upon and
with which she falls in love. Clara’s life is one of mourning. Her four
siblings all died from the cholera and her mother has not recovered in seven
long years. Clara has suffered for it and she longs for some happiness. So she
convinces her father, a wealthy doctor, to hire the Puppet Master to provide the
entertainment at her twelfth birthday party. Clara goes a step further and
arranges to have tea with the children, Parsefall and Lizzie Rose prior to the
performance. It is enough to make an impression upon them.
This impression
saves Clara’s life. The magician has more in mind than a mere performance. A
wealthy family in mourning for several dead children would be willing to pay
anything to get their remaining daughter… back. Yes, Clara is kidnapped, but
before the ransom can be paid, the witch summons the magician to her side with
the opal. The magician cannot ignore the summons, not even for 10,000 pounds.
The magician disappears and Clara is hidden under Parsefall and Lizzie Rose’s
noses. And then the adventure begins!
This is not a
quick read. It might be children’s literature, but it is rich and worthy of
time and patience. It is meant to be savored. It is Victorian Gothic full of
the morbid and macabre. The villains are evil and the heroes are flawed. The
ending was richly rewarding and satisfying. I am recommending this magnificent
work to avid readers, sixth grade and up. I bet girls will take to it better
than boys. Parsefall is a boy of few words and many talents.
No comments:
Post a Comment