Playing by the Rules

June 1, 2006
The fictional historically black town of Lemon City, Virginia, is visited by the dreaded Outsiders when Jeremiah, a 25-year-old Vietnam vet, and his 12-year-old sister, Ruby Rose, stumble upon the town. They are running from the authorities, Jeremiah accused of kidnapping his sister from foster care following the death of their drug-addict mother. Dunlap family matriarch Nana takes pity on the young girl and makes an exception to the rule against welcoming outsiders. This is particularly hard for Nana, who lost her granddaughter Faye to marriage to an Outsider, a marriage that ended in tragedy. While Ruby Rose has captured Nana's heart, Jeremiah threatens to steal the affections of Nana's granddaughter Louise, who has recently become involved with Medford though the two have eyed each other for years. The Outsiders shake up the complacency of Lemon City even as they learn to adjust to the rhythms that have sustained the community for generations.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2006, American Library Association.)