Dreamland Burning

November 14, 2016
Latham’s powerful second novel (after Scarlett Undercover) opens in present-day Tulsa, Okla., with the discovery of human bones beneath the floorboards of the Chase family’s guesthouse. The police have little interest in identifying the skeleton or determining how it got there, but 17-year-old Rowan and her best friend, James, feel compelled to investigate. Nearly a century earlier, in 1921, 17-year-old William Tillman defies Tulsa’s Jim Crow laws by selling a Victrola to a black teenager, Joseph Goodhope. Will grows to respect Joseph and becomes fond of his irrepressible younger sister, Ruby. When the Ku Klux Klan starts rounding up black people and burning their homes and businesses, Will is forced to make difficult decisions. Rowan and Will take turns narrating, their stories intertwining intriguingly as they unfold in parallel. Populated with vivid, relatable characters and structured to maximize mystery, tension, and dread, Latham’s novel provides a gripping education in the real-life horror story that was the Tulsa race riot, shines a light on the current state of race relations, and inspires hope for the future. Ages 14–up. Agent: Rachel Orr, Prospect Agency.

Dual narrators deliver a story of racism and violence, which alternates between the 1920s Jim Crow era and the current day. Nearly a century separates the lives of teenagers Rowan Chase and Will Tillman, both of Tulsa. The discovery of an old skeleton on the Chase family's property brings their stories together. Pyeng Threadgill, who portrays Rowan in contemporary Tulsa, and Luke Slattery, who portrays Will in the early twentieth century, bring the characters and the city to life. Sparse sound effects, such as the crackling of a Victrola recording, add additional context to the story. This is a solid production with excellent performances from both Slattery and Threadgill. A.L.S.M. � AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine