When the Whistle Blows

June 8, 2009
Slayton's sweet and nostalgic debut novel tells the story of seven consecutive Halloweens, starting in 1943, in the life of teenage Jimmy Cannon. He wants nothing but to follow in the footsteps of his father and older brothers and work for the railroad, which runs through his hometown of Rowlesburg, W. Va. His dad, however, believes that the railroads are dying, and that Jimmy's future is elsewhere. As each year passes, readers get glimpses of Jimmy's small-town life: a late-night wake for a favorite uncle, a prank gone awry, a robbery with nearly disastrous consequences, etc. Slayton takes a few wrong turns, notably the chapters featuring the football championship and the boorish school principal who opposes hunting season, both of which have clichéd resolutions. Though the nature of the book-devoid of Jimmy's growth over the 364 days between each chapter-can feel disjointed, Jimmy, his father and the townsfolk have unique, compelling voices that nicely convey the sense of small-town America during and after World War II. Ages 10-up.

Starred review from June 1, 2009
Gr 6-10-Linked stories set on seven consecutive All Hallows' Eves, from 1943 through 1949, relate Jimmy Cannon's teenage years in Rowlesburg, WV. Central to his story are his two older brothers, his friends, and especially his father, a formidable figure in a long succession of Cannon men who have worked for the B&O railroad. Why then, does Dad insist that Jimmy must not follow in his own footsteps? And what is his father's role in the secretive and mysterious "Society" of local men? This is nostalgia done right, as Jimmy describes the high jinks, the championship football game, the risks and rewards of his part-time job, and other significant events that shape his love for his small hometown at a time and place when the railroad "was" the town. Telling details and gentle humor help set the scene and reveal a great deal about these characters and their lives. The nature, membership, and duties of "The Society" slowly come to the fore as events transpire that sharpen Jimmy's perceptions and provide him with the insights to consider the possibility of an unknown and very different future than the one he had always imagined. A polished paean to a bygone time and place."Joel Shoemaker, South East Junior High School, Iowa City, IA"

Copyright 2009 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 1, 2009
Grades 6-9 Slaytons debut novel evocatively recallslife in 1940s small-town West Virginia. The book stretches from 1943 to 1949, with each chapterrecounting a Halloween in the lifeof Jimmy Cannon, who begins the book at 12 years old. Through his eyes, we see his complex and formative relationshipa mix of idolatry and fearwith his stern father, a railroad man who warns his kids not to follow in his footsteps. Year by year, Jimmy grows from a venturesome boy to a trouble-magnet adolescent and finally into a young man. Slayton keeps her story from becoming too much of a nostalgia piece by keeping the focus squarely on her characters, exploring actions and sentiments that transcend eras, from light hooliganism to the triumph of winning the final football game in an undefeated season to the quieter milestone of being welcomed into adulthood. This short, memorable novel offers readers a chance to see how boys their grandfathers age got in and out of trouble and a glimpse of how, at its core, growing up has changed little even over half a century.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2009, American Library Association.)