Operation Clean Sweep

October 1, 2004
Gr 4-7 -Cornelius Sanwick, 12, is in a quandary. His father is mayor of Umatilla, OR, and running for reelection. Now Corn has found out that his mother is secretly campaigning for the same position. The year is 1916, and Oregon is one of only 11 states that have given women the right to vote. The boy doesn't know which parent to support, but he realizes that his mother is likely to win because the town has more women than men. Should he tell his father about his mom's secret plan? This story is based on an actual event that brought national attention to Umatilla and women's suffrage. The story moves along quite well and is fueled by several subplots concerning a villainous pickpocket, Cornelius's interest in a classmate, and various school assignments that give readers not only a sense of the time period, but also common experiences with which to identify. Most fiction titles on women's suffrage are from a girl's viewpoint, so Corn's point of view gives the subject another dimension. The boy's dilemma keeps him thinking and questioning where he stands on women in politics and his decisions seem realistically made as he begins to change his attitude. The book has larger-than-usual type and is lots of fun. A great addition to historical-fiction collections.-Elaine Lesh Morgan, Multnomah County Library, Portland, OR

Copyright 2004 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 15, 2004
Gr. 3-6. When 12-year-old Cornelius Sanwick overhears his mother and her friends discussing the upcoming election in Umatilla, Oregon, he learns that she is secretly running for mayor against his father, the incumbent. The women are disgusted with the way the men have managed municipal issues and now that it's 1916, they intend to make a clean sweep of the local public offices. Corn is caught between agreeing with his mother about the town's problems and feeling disloyal to his father by keeping secret what he knows. Beard's story, based on real events, features believable characters, strong local color, and a plot that gently makes its point without offending anyone. Subplots--involving a good friend with an annoying habit; Corn's first love; and a notorious pickpocket, Sticky Fingers Fred--round out the action. A timely choice for classroom read-alouds, this might spark discussions about equal rights, suffragettes, or campaign tactics.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2004, American Library Association.)