Skip to main content

"Prairie Evers" by Ellen Airgood and "One for the Murphys" by Lynda Mullaly Hunt

As I was finishing the book Prairie Evers by Ellen Airgood I worried the ending would be too perfect--everything would work out in such a way to leave the reader happy, even if isn’t the way real life worked. And it reminded me of One for the Murphys, which made me cry because it was real life. Turns out the ending of Prairie Evers is open, and that’s how it should be. One for the Murphys, sigh, ended as it should have too. Let’s compare (spoilers ahead).

Prairie Evers, which is for children in grades 3-5, is about a once-homeschooled girl who finds a BFF in Ivy Blake when she starts attending the local school. Ivy, though, comes from a troubled home. Where Prairie is outgoing with artsy, but stable parents, Ivy is shy and fatherless. Worse, her mom killed her father in a domestic accident. Ivy’s mom is sullen and depressed and cares not a whit for Ivy. Prairie and her family recognize this and Ivy becomes a de facto member of their household. Ivy’s mom meets, then marries George, and the newlyweds decide to move to another city. Ivy’s mom is totally OK leaving Ivy to finish out the school year with Prairie and her parents. The book ends on January 1, so we don’t know what will happen when the next school year starts. Ivy is sad that her mother has so easily given her up and sad that she doesn’t miss her quite as much as she thinks she should. For now, though, Ivy is safe and loved.

One for the Murphys (for grades 5-8) is a bit similar. In Lynda Mullaly Hunt’s book, Carley is living with the Murphys as a foster child. She and her mom had been badly beaten by Carley’s stepfather. The mom needs more recovery time and Carley needs a home. Carley, as one might guess, is a rough around the edges and guarded with her feelings. It’s difficult for her to adapt to the loving Murphy brood. But Mrs. Murphy, once a foster child herself, wants to care for Carley and over the course of the novel Carley begins to let down some of her defenses. When Carley’s mom is ready to take Carley back, it’s bittersweet and a bit heart-breaking. I did not want Carley to leave her new family.


I recommend One for the Murphys wholeheartedly and Prairie Evers almost as much for each age group. The hard-hitting realities of domestic abuse and foster families are handled just right for their given audiences. Younger kids will appreciate Prairie’s spirit and how she wants to help Ivy. Having Ivy as a secondary character makes her situation not as dramatic for this age group. Older kids, who will understand Carley’s mixed feelings about leaving the Murphys, will appreciate her story more.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Little Things

I’m not perfect. I’m certainly not a perfectionist. I don’t even have any OCD tendencies (I’ve taken quizzes!). But, as a former copy editor, I do tend to correct mistakes (especially when watching television). It’s a habit. I bring this up because I’ve been bothered by things I’ve read in two books I recently had the opportunity to review. They’re somewhat little things, but I think someone should have checked on them. Like I said, I’m a former copy editor. It was part of my job to check things. But my personality is also such that I’m not always very assertive (luckily, I worked with very, very talented writers and editors who made my job easier). A story that still bothers me: My boss had written the phrase “a tough road to hoe” in one of his columns. I knew it was “row to hoe,” but I figured, he’s the boss, maybe he wants to use “road” because he was talking about paths we take. I wasn’t really brave enough to ask the boss if he knew he had gotten it wrong. Silly on my par...
1 comment
Read more

Penderwicks, Penelope, and Flavia

When I was a teen, I had summer ritual: Each July, I would re-read The Lord of the the Rings (by J.R.R. Tolkien, of course) and Little Women (by Louisa May Alcott, ditto). I read many other books, but these I were my summer vacation tradition. My reading habits have changed over the years--I read far less fantasy than I did as a teen. That genre has been replaced by mysteries (especially Nordic noir and gritty police procedurals). But I still have a spot in my heart for good, old-fashioned storytelling with strong characters. That’s why I’m hoping to get some kids hooked on “The Penderwicks,” “The Children of Ashton Place,” and the Flavia de Luce mysteries. These books will appeal to certain kids--quirky, intelligent, and a bit nerdy. Kids who appreciate a protagonist just like them. And those who think Jo should have married Laurie, but totally understand why she didn’t. (Well, maybe not totally.) The Penderwick sisters have appeared in three books by Jeanne Birdsall so far: T...
1 comment
Read more

Harry vs. Septimus

Sometimes, I like the Septimus Heap series more than the Harry Potter series. There I said it. It’s a secret I’ve kept from all but my kids for a long time. Don’t get me wrong: I’m wild about Harry. I’ve knitted Harry Potter bookmarks (in Gryffindor colors, naturally). I’ve thrown at least two Harry Potter-themed birthday parties, complete with a sorting hat I made. I’ve stood at line overnight at Barnes and Noble waiting for the next book to come out three times. I read Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire  in one day. But, often, I like Angie Sage’s Septimus Heap books ( Magyk , Flyte , Physik , Queste , Syren , and the just published Darke ) more. And I’m not entirely sure why. My current theory is that the Septimus Heap books are better written and, while also highly derivative, much more charming. The characters are human (muggles, even) and fraught with faults. Also, the Harry Potter books are, rightly so, about Harry. Everything is from Harry’s perspective. Sadly, we don...
1 comment
Read more