Sallie Gal and the Wall-a-Kee Man (review)

Abstract

Reviewed by: Delicious: The Life & Art of Wayne Thiebaud Deborah Stevenson Rubin, Susan Goldman Delicious: The Life & Art of Wayne Thiebaud. Chronicle, 2007108p illus. with photographs ISBN 978-0-8118-5168-8$15.95 Ad Gr. 4-8 There are two civil wars in Amanda's life: there's the subject of her fifth-grade class, for which she must write a fictional diary; there's also the state of her household, where her parents' warring has finally resulted in the departure of her father. What could be a heavy-handed contrivance is, under the deft hand of Claudia Mills, an unusual opportunity for reflection and exploration of some complicated and painful feelings; Amanda's Civil War diary, which gives fictional voice to a girl whose family is divided when two brothers enlist on different sides, is a wee bit overimpressive for a fifth-grade writer, but it's an absorbing story in its own right that definitely contributes to the overall narrative rather than slowing it down. The book goes for realistic dynamics over convenient didacticism: while Amanda is oversimplifying things in blaming her mother entirely for the separation (her father actually has a new relationship), her mom is nonetheless no picnic; there's also some honest examination of youthful racial issues as Amanda examines her own overconsidered responses to a black classmate. Ultimately, this is a polished and accessible exploration of a tough situation, sure to resonate with kids, who are all familiar, one way or another, with threats to domestic tranquility. Copyright © 2008 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois