A Tiny Piece of Sky

November 9, 2015
Colloquial omniscient narration and entertaining letters between sisters immerse readers in a spirited heroine's mind and the complexities of 1939 small-town life. Ten-year-old Frankie Baum hates being a "Number Three." Her oldest sister, Elizabeth, can do no wrong, while Frankie's middle sister and best friend, Joan, gets to spend the summer on their aunt's farm. Meanwhile, Frankie is stuck working in the kitchen at her father's new restaurant. Unbeknownst to Mr. Baum, the Hagerstown Chamber of Commerce president is spreading a rumor that he is a Nazi sympathizer and possible spy. Hoping to rise above her Number Three status, Frankie tries to defend her father's innocence, but her skeptical nature makes her question everything. Stout (the Penelope Crumb series) was inspired by her family's past for this foray into historical fiction, which includes several memorable characters. Through Frankie's thoughtful insights, Stout addresses injustices such as racism and xenophobia without turning didactic ("What a frightening thing for her to realize, that what some people believed could be so cruel, and could be so wrong"), and the conclusion is a realistic mix of bittersweet and heartwarming. Ages 9â12. Agent: Sarah Davies, Greenhouse Literary Agency.

October 15, 2015
As her favorite sister heads off to Aunt Dottie's farm, Frankie Baum expects her own summer of 1939 to be dull, but her father's new restaurant creates an unexpected widening of her world. Stout's novel is steeped in the feel of life in a small city just as the rumblings of war in Europe begin to catch the attention of Americans. Frankie and her young cousins eagerly anticipate the late-summer arrival of The Wizard of Oz in Hagerstown's theater. While Frankie resents being the youngest, third child, her candid, irrepressible nature keeps both humor and pathos in balance. Hermann Baum's independent spirit--he refuses to be bullied into joining the chamber of commerce or to put a campaign poster for the chamber president's mayoral race in his window--combines with his German name to result in a disheartening boycott of his restaurant's opening celebration on the Fourth of July. Though most of the action takes place within Frankie's point of view, occasions when the narrative shifts briefly to another character's thoughts offer insight and suspense. Stout uses an archly chummy direct address at several points, successfully and humorously breaking up tension in this cleareyed look at bad behavior by society--where discrimination both hidden and overt is practiced against the town's "colored" neighbors--and by individual scoundrels like power-hungry Mr. Price. Successfully warmhearted and child-centered. (Historical fiction. 9-13)

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January 1, 2016

Gr 4-6-It's the summer of 1939 in Hagerstown, MD, and there are big changes afoot in the Baum family. It is middle sister Joan's turn to spend the summer with Aunt Dottie, which leaves number three sister, Frankie, at home with perfect number one sister, Elizabeth. Frankie is not as perfect as Elizabeth and not quite as able to fit in as Joan but is the kind of girl who collects scabs, sings off-key in church, and does myriad other things that set her mother's nerves on edge. Patriarch Hermann decides that now is the time to fulfill his dream of owning a restaurant-the type of eatery that has entertainment and is a real part of the community. Everybody in the family will have to help in order to get the place shipshape for the projected opening on July fourth. The problem is that some folks in town don't like the idea of a family of German descent opening a business downtown-especially when Mr. Baum doesn't treat Mr. Sullen Waterford Price, president of the local chamber of commerce, with the respect he thinks he deserves. This piece of historical fiction is based on the author's own family story, and the passion comes across in the writing. Themes of prejudice, racism, family, and friendship are all explored through Frankie's eyes and in her voice. Fans of Augusta Scattergood's Glory Be (Scholastic, 2012) as well as those of Jeanne Birdsall's "Penderwicks" series (Knopf) will enjoy this slice of history. VERDICT A solid piece of historical fiction to add to middle grade collections.-Stacy Dillon, LREI, New York City

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