Whistle in the Dark

Starred review from September 30, 2013
Long, the author of several early readers, reaches out to older children in this dignified and supple middle-grade story. In 1920s Leadanna, Mo., bookish 13-year-old Clem Harding is yanked out of school to work in the local lead mines. Clem dreads the prospect of sharing the depressing fate of his grandfather, who continues to suffer from mining-related illnesses: "There was nothing about the mine that would ever change Clem's first impression: it was a busy little hell straight out of the Bible." While Clem fantasizes about escaping the mine, his reality is stark: his family is poor, and his younger sister's epilepsy is a constant worry. Circumstances begin to appear less bleak when he adopts a stray dog and befriends an optimistic outsider named Lindy who sells moonshine with her dangerous father. Long writes with modest restraint, never drifting into sentimentality or overpowering the story with historical details, while remaining squarely centered in the story's time and place. The novel sings with graceful recurring motifs, true emotions, and devastating observations about the beauty that can be found in the darkest hours. Ages 8â12.

September 1, 2013
A sadly flawed premise undermines Long's debut novel, early chapters of which won the Katherine Paterson prize. On his 13th birthday, Clemson joins his father in the depths of their small Missouri town's lead mine. Clem hates mining, but his grandfather's disability due to "miner's consumption" and doctor bills from his sister's epilepsy mean his family needs the money he'll earn. Despite the manifest need, every day he hopes his Pap will release him, just as every week Grampy writes to the mining company in hopes of "compensation." The writing is at times lovely, and it charts Clem's emotional state with precision. His relationship with Esther and friendship with a bootlegger's daughter are particularly touching. Unfortunately, that clarity does not extend to the actual mining, which, though Clem clearly hates it, is never made real for readers. He descends with a shovel; he "mucks" for ore; he ascends. More seriously, Long's story is anachronistic in both directions: The characters have 21st-century sensibilities, even as Clem seems to live by 19th-century rules. Unlike in the 1800s, in 1924, when the story begins, Missouri state law prohibited mines from employing anyone under age 16. And as there is evidently no union nor any clear precedent, Grampy's expectation of compensation for his lung disease seems highly unlikely. The at times lyrical writing cannot compensate for the flawed history. (Historical fiction. 8-12)

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October 1, 2013

Gr 4-8-Thirteen-year-old Clem lives in Leadanna, Missouri, in the 1920s. He's a good student who likes to make up stories for his sister and who dreams of a life beyond his small mining town. Money is tight, so when his father pulls him out of school and hands him a miner's cap, Clem sees his hopes of getting an education fade when he joins the other men who make a living working underground. After tragedy strikes, he becomes the only one able to provide for his family. Faced with difficult situations (including the temptation to join a moonshine operation, his sister's epilepsy, and other challenges), Clem grows up quickly. With the help of a friend who must handle many hardships of her own, and the unexpected appearance of a faithful stray dog, Clem is able to find a way to make his dreams come true. This novel offers readers a look at the hardships found in American mining communities. An author's note clarifies the factual events interspersed in the story. Well-developed characters, rapid plot development, and interesting scenes make this a debut that will appeal to reluctant readers.-Denise Moore, O'Gorman Junior High School, Sioux Falls, SD

Copyright 2013 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 15, 2013
Grades 5-8 In the 1920s Ozarks, Clemson Jasper Harding is turning 13. While his birthday wish is for a dog, his gift from Pap is a miner's cap and carbide lamp. As engaging historical fiction does best, this debut novel vividly brings to light a period in time where values prove timeless. Through Clem, the reader learns about the dangerous life of a child lead miner. Forced to help pay for his little sister Esther's medical bills to treat her epilepsy, Clem grudgingly assumes his responsibility and adjusts his sights to the darkness underground, rather than the life he would preferattending school and writing stories. Then Clem discovers the illicit moonshine business through Lindy, his bullied school friend, who has her own family obligations to fulfill and a disfiguring facial scar that serves as a reminder of her burdens. In Long's gentle rendering, what emerges from this story of overcoming obstacles are strong family bonds and Clem's renewed resilience that points him toward a well-earned path to his dreams.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2013, American Library Association.)