When the Crickets Stopped Singing

February 1, 2018

Gr 4-6-Twelve-year-old Angie anticipates another routine yet carefree summer in her small California town. But it's 1939 and Hitler's rise to power in Europe, coupled with the return to town of Jefferson Clement, a seemingly popular WWI hero, soon have Angie asking a disturbing question: How can adults witness evil and not do anything about it? As Angie and her friends look for an answer, they uncover lurid secrets to which locals have turned a blind eye. Their search leads to a tragic confrontation that forces Angie to decide between truth, lies, and justice. Donahue creates a memorable pair of antagonists in glib Jefferson and affable ne'er-do-well Willie Jack: both are war heroes, but the townspeople judge them very differently. Jefferson and Willie Jack's role in the novel's climax and its aftermath further underscores a recurring theme of the dangers of false appearances. A leisurely pace, careful language, and a nostalgic tone blunt the novel's grave topic of child molestation, making it appropriate for younger readers or classroom discussion. An afterword challenges readers to put themselves in Angie's place and consider if they would make the same choices. Some comparisons Donahue poses to readers may tend toward the simplistic but align with the novel's gentle handling of a serious topic. VERDICT A thoughtful historical fiction and coming-of-age story; purchase for larger collections.-Marybeth Kozikowski, Sachem Public Library, Holbrook, NY

Copyright 2018 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 1, 2018
In a small and apparently all-white town, Angelina and her friends face a sinister danger. It's a roasting hot summer in 1939, and Angelina is troubled by news of Hitler as newscasters wonder when America might become involved. It's a time of fresh-squeezed lemonade, telephone switchboards, and church picnics. Twelve-year-old Angelina, her best friend, Geraldine, and the new preacher's daughter, Reba Lu, hatch a plan to curry favor with God by making a list of sinners to befriend and save. The list includes some eccentric characters, including Miss Emma, who's a bit "tetched," rarely leaves her room, and wears a live snake around her neck. Also on the list is Jefferson Clement, who has just returned to town after a yearslong absence. Except for his wife and Angelina's mother, most folks seem happy to see Clement and his red carnation boutonniere. One night, among other troubling events, someone tries to sneak into the girls' backyard tent as they sleep. Angelina is nearly certain she knows who it is. The atmospheric story unfolds through Angelina's increasingly discerning voice, which illuminates how intensely afraid the girls are to tell the adults. In lingering, evocative prose, this story is demonstratively reminiscent of To Kill a Mockingbird, including a stifling courtroom inquiry of the town scapegoat and a girl's loss of innocence. The afterword includes discussion suggestions. (Historical fiction. 10-14)

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