The Devil's Paintbox

Starred review from December 8, 2008
Set in 1865, McKernan's (Shackleton's Stowaway
) gripping novel follows the westward journey of 16-year-old Aiden, with his younger sister, Maddie, from their late parents' farm in Kansas. Harsh conditions and a devastating fire have prompted the exodus of most of the townsfolk, and the siblings have nearly starved to death when the story begins. New opportunity comes in the form of a wagon train and its guide, who offers Aiden a chance to pay off the cost of his and Maddie's trip with labor at a logging camp. Traveling across the country and deep into Aiden's experiences of despair and hope reborn, McKernan's supple prose (a bowl of jam “shimmers in the sun like a pot of melted rubies”) immerses readers in a sometimes brutal history; a story line about the threat to Indians from smallpox (“the devil's paintbox”) and the policy of denying them vaccines, builds to a powerful conclusion. Flawless attention to detail and steady pacing keep readers fully engaged. While the Indians Aiden meets may come off idealized, the other characters are fully fledged. Readers will be riveted. Ages 12–up.

November 15, 2008
A wagon train west looks good to the Lynch kids, who have been eating dirt after the death of the rest of their family at their Kansas soddy home. Aiden, at 15 barely a man, feels the overwhelming burden of responsibility for 13-year-old Maddy. The trip west brings no immediate release from peril, but in a restful moment a group of Nez Perce, who are so comfortable in the environment that he finally relaxes, befriends Aiden. As tragedy continues to strike and Aiden begins to function as an adult, the cumulative pain and sorrow reveal their toll. Aiden becomes a paid fighter at a logging camp in the Northwest, where Tupic, his Nez Perce friend, comes to him; Tupic 's intent on obtaining smallpox vaccine for his tribe, leaving this unlikely duo struggling against immense odds. Nothing is pretty, not even the prostitutes plying their trade, and nothing easy, as the hatred and racism of the day are revealed. Viscerally painted, in this narrative smallpox is never as frightening as the greed and hatred, nor are the love and dignity of a few so admirable. (Historical fiction. YA)

(COPYRIGHT (2008) KIRKUS REVIEWS/NIELSEN BUSINESS MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.)

Starred review from February 1, 2009
Gr 6-9-Orphans Aiden and Maddy, 15 and 13, are starving on what's left of their parents' drought-devastated ranch in Kansas, 1866. When a gruff yet likable trail guide, Jefferson J. Jackson, shows up, Aiden indentures himself as a logger in exchange for their passage to a new life in the Pacific Northwest via wagon train. What ensues is a harrowing journey across the continent during which Aiden is not only physically challenged but also beset by personal tragedy and moral conflict involving a group of Nez Perce Indians. The plot ultimately revolves around his interaction with his Native friend, Tupic, and the tribe's quest to get the vaccine for the smallpox virus, or "the devil's paintbox." This carefully researched novel describes actual historical events, such as the Sand Creek massacre, and includes an author's note about the controversy over whether or not Native Americans were deliberately infected with the virus. References to abortion, alcohol, and drug use (such as opium and laudanum), and a brief encounter with a prostitute, make this a vivid yet still teen-friendly read depicting the harsh realities of frontier life. The interactions between Aiden and Tupic, though somewhat unlikely, are fascinating as are the descriptions of life in an early lumber camp. This action-packed novel has all the elements of a good Western, including lively fight scenes and a main character who becomes a rugged individualist, risking life and limb for a cause he believes in. Fans of wilderness survival stories or adventure sagas will appreciate it most."Madeline J. Bryant, Los Angeles Public Library"

Copyright 2009 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 1, 2009
Grades 8-12 This hugely ambitious historical fiction follows the troubled fortunes of teenage Aiden and his younger sister, Maddy, as they journey, via wagon train, from their impoverished family farm in Kansas to what they hope will be a brighter new life in Oregon. But history reveals that such hopes were often dashed in the real, postCivil War world, and author McKernan has clearly read her history. The result is a relentlessly bleak examination of the unending vicissitudesincluding epidemics of smallpox (the devils paint), encounters with Indians, heartless bullies, horrible accidents, and worsethat visit the lives of these innocent pilgrims. And it quickly becomes obvious that even if Aiden and Maddy actually make it to Oregon, their arrival will remain something less than an answer to their prayers. Almost 400 pages of human folly, fear, cupidity, stupidity, heartbreak, death, and disaster nearly drive Aidenand the readerinsane. But thats often the way with epics, and thats just what McKernanwith fitful successhas written. Her ambition is admirable, but the effort of reading the result may ultimately overwhelm many readers.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2009, American Library Association.)