This is the first book I read for my adolescent literature class: Sharon Creech’s Newberry Award winning book, Walk Two Moons, tells the stories of two young girls, Salamanca Hiddle and Phoebe Winterbottom. Salamanca, or, Sal, for short, is the adolescent narrator on a trip to Idaho with her grandparents. She is on her way to see her mother, who left home one day and never came back. Along the way, she tells the story to her grandparents of a girl she knew in Ohio, Phoebe.
As she tells Phoebe’s story, she also reveals details to the reader from her own life and the memories she has of her mother. Though the two girls are vastly different in personality, they are similar in that both their mothers leave home unexpectedly.
This deceptively simple book is well-deserving of the awards and praise it has received. In it, Creech has tackled timeless themes in a way that young people can relate to and understand. The book contains several elements that make it fun to read: suspense, humor, originality and good, solid storytelling.
Another accomplishment of the book is its ability to successfully get the reader to empathize with its characters. By the end, I felt like I knew Sal and I wanted her to see her mom again almost as much as she did. The pacing of the book which led to the ending was masterful.
When I went to the library, Walk Two Moons was checked out. However, I picked up another of Creech's works: Ruby Holler. (What can I say, the title caught my eye). It has been a long time since I've read young adult fiction. It was nice to read. I agree that Creech is an author worth reading. I look forward to reading Walk Two Moons.
ReplyDeleteYeah, its good. You could check to see if they have it in the Newberry Award section. That's where I found mine here.
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