Silent Thunder

Andrea Davis Pinkney's book offers a snapshot of life in Civil War Virginia on the plantation of Gideon Parnell. Through chapters that alternate between Rosco and his younger sister, Summer, the listener becomes aware of the social hierarchy of Parnell's plantation, the impact of the written word on a human being's life, and the growing discontent of the slaves at this time. Pinkney underscores Summer's awakening to the issue of slavery in contrast to Rosco's conflict over how to honor his commitment to friend and family and, at the same time, be true to his personal need for freedom. Andrea J. Johnson and Peter Jay Fernandez exude the personalities of their characters--the exploration and wonder of Summer as she learns about herself and her family and the anguish of Rosco as he serves young Lowell Parnell, all the while reading about the opportunities of freedom. Their quiet intensity makes the actions and feelings of these young people real and memorable. A.R. (c) AudioFile 2001, Portland, Maine

August 30, 1999
Children's fiction about slavery typically involves young protagonists struggling with injustice, yearning to read and risking their lives for freedom; Pinkney reinvigorates this familiar framework by infusing her work with a more personal, equally hard-hitting theme. The "silent thunder" of the title refers to the urgent need for enslaved children (and adults) to suppress their own desires and thoughts. As an adult slave warns 11-year-old Summer, "Anything that makes you feel good has gotta stay cooped up, like a toad wriggling inside a croaker sack, else it can be taken away." Yet Summer is practically bursting to chat about everything, wondering who her daddy is, why her mother is so moody, why she has to beat rugs, why she can't have a china-head doll. Her older brother, Rosco, the "body servant" of young Master Lowell, has learned to read from eavesdropping on Lowell's lessons; he teaches Summer to read, too, and when she can't keep this dangerous accomplishment to herself, he makes her a doll in whom she can safely confide. Rosco, meanwhile, grapples with his own secrets, namely his knowledge of Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation. While Pinkney bows to a few stereotypes, generally her portraits are unusually well nuanced. As Summer and Rosco alternate as narrators, their feelings flow off the page to envelop the reader. Ages 9-12. (Sept.) FYI: Pinkney, the author of Raven in a Dove House; Duke Ellington: The Piano Prince and His Orchestra; and several other works for children, heads the Jump at the Sun imprint.