Grease Town

August 1, 2010

Gr 4-8-In 1863, oil has recently been discovered in Oil Springs, Ontario, and a variety of people, black and white, and from many different walks of life, are settling there. Orphans Lem and Titus Sullivan live in their aunt's stuffy and regimented house. When 19-year-old Lem sets out for Oil Springs, 13-year-old Titus stows away in his brother's wagon and unwittingly scores a bumpy ride into a new and eventful chapter in his life. Towell skillfully creates the setting of this mucky little town and its colorful inhabitants. Titus, who narrates, has a voice that is believable and uncontrived, which lends an air of authenticity to the story. Supporting characters are equally strong and well developed, particularly Moses, the son of former slaves who becomes Titus's friend. Racism has followed the freed slaves into Canada, close to Chatham (of Underground Railroad fame). Living in a shantytown of sorts, black families are attacked one night in the culmination of a race riot. Titus witnesses the events and is traumatized to the point of speechlessness, and it's questionable whether he will find his tongue and be able to testify. Towell has created a strong narrator and a compelling plot.-Corrina Austin, Locke's Public School, St. Thomas, Ontario, Canada

Copyright 2010 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 15, 2010
Grades 7-10 The Civil War battles in the U.S. feel far away to smart Canadian orphan Titus Sullivan, 12, who runs away from his aunt in London, Ontario, and moves in with his kind uncle in the newly booming small town of Oil Springs. The discovery of oil has brought many prospectors, including runaway slaves on the Underground Railroad, as well as the bounty hunters who are pursuing them. Soon after arrival, Titus befriends Moses Croucher, the first black person he has ever met. Moses lives with his family in a shantytown and exposes Titus to the fierce local prejudice. Racists stir up hatred by accusing blacks of stealing jobs and threatening white women, until finally Titus witnesses a horrific, violent riot that drives black people out of town. A few characters come across as stereotypes, including Titus prissy, prejudiced aunt. But the narrative, true to Titus viewpoint, captures the complex history behind the usual flight-to-freedom rescue story and reminds readers that leaving the South was not the end of the struggle for escaped slaves.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2010, American Library Association.)