The Rising Star of Rusty Nail

July 1, 2007
Gr 4-6-Rusty Nail, MN, in 1953 is the backdrop for the mischievous, sometimes hilarious, antics of Franny Hansen and her best friend, Sandy Hellickson. In addition to being rambunctious and fun loving, the 10-year-old is a piano prodigy whose talents risk being wasted by the limited ability of the town's only piano teacher. Enter Olga Malenkov, a mysterious Russian, seemingly the wife of a big-city lawyer who is a former native son of Rusty Nail. The psychology of the McCarthy period spurs the townspeople to gossip and to decide that the stranger is a Communist spy. Franny's mother offers the voice of reason to balance the hysteria and paranoia rampant at the time. When the girls decide to do some spying of their own, Franny discovers that the newcomer plays the piano beautifully. She bargains her way to lessons, and the extent of her talent is discovered. Add to the mix Franny's piano rivala stereotypically conceited, spoiled, bratty youngster-and a high-stakes competition, and the tension escalates. Blume has skillfully combined humor, history, and music to create an enjoyable novel that builds to a surprising crescendo."Renee Steinberg, formerly at Fieldstone Middle School, Montvale, NJ"

Copyright 2007 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from June 1, 2007
Not much happens in Rusty Nail, Minnesota. Oh, it was once the Coot Capitol of the World, butnow its1953, andthat distinction is long past.Still, 10-year-old Franny Hansen and her raucous best friend, Sandy, manage to have fun, mostly involving harrassing prissy Nancy, the richest girl in town. There is one thing that Franny is serious about, and thats her piano playing. True, her teacher mostly sleeps through lessons (a cigarette dangling from her lips), but when Franny outplays Nancy in a school assembly, she knows her talent is something to be nutured. Then despair sets in. How can she progress when theres no one good enough to give her lessons? Enter Olga Malenkov. The locals buzz that a commiehas come to town, butFranny is thrilled when she hears Olga play and realizes she would make a perfect teacher.Too bad, Olga wants nothing to do with Franny.Blumeoffers a story that is as rich as it is delicious.Using a narrative style thats slighty over the top, she sets Franny, by turn hopeful and hopeless, and her passionfor the piano against the larger issues ofthe Red Scare that were so emblematic of the time. The characters, especiallythose in supporting roles, are as nuanced as they are humorous.Sandy isin equal parts proud of Frannys talent and threatened by it, and Mr. Hansen, whogave up his own musical dreams, shrugs off his ineffectuality to support his daughter. Read this one aloud and then talk about it.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2007, American Library Association.)