North to Benjamin

September 1, 2018
After he moves to Dawson, Yukon, with Stephanie, his troubled mother, Edgar bonds with an elderly dog and remakes his connection to the world.When they broke up, Stephanie's ex gave Edgar a camera. Hours into their Dawson housesitting gig, she's flirting with their new neighbor Ceese, while his friendly daughter, Caroline, introduces Edgar to Benjamin, an infirm Newfoundland, age 14. Living with an unstable, alcoholic parent has made Edgar both passive and fearfully observant. He's seen her use her looks and charisma to attract the partnered men she fancies before she flees with Edgar to start over. Edgar, almost 12, is determined to keep her from claiming Ceese, whose long-standing girlfriend he admires. Drawn to the Yukon's icy, implacable beauty--and immersed in Benjamin's smelly but endearing reality--Edgar identifies with the dog in Jack London's iconic story "To Build a Fire." As Benjamin speaks to him, then understands him, Edgar's words sound like barking to humans though he still writes in English. With heightened senses and his camera he tracks his out-of-control mother, whom he sees as a predator, and makes desperate efforts to warn the preyed upon. Cumyn deliberately builds this memorable world, easing readers into their suspension of disbelief as Edgar's engagement with Benjamin grows. Far from a mere survival tale, this is a psychological thriller for sophisticated middle-grade readers. Edgar and his mother present white; Ceese and Caroline have brown skin.This gripping, suspenseful read with compelling characters and a spellbinding setting lures readers into the deep-cold night even as they long for a life-affirming sunrise. (author's note) (Fiction. 10-14)

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October 1, 2018

Gr 5-8-Edgar and his mother, Stephanie, flee Toronto for the colder climes of northwestern Canada. Although used to his mother's bad breakups, Edgar is hoping for a fresh start in the Yukon. The 11-year-old is more comfortable watching the world at a distance through his camera lens. But even he is surprised when he loses the ability to communicate except by barking after his mother forms yet another inappropriate relationship. Only Benjamin, the Newfoundland they're dog-sitting, seems to understand him. Edgar also gains canine senses in this novel with a magical realism bent, which become especially necessary when the boy sets out on a dangerous journey across the frozen Yukon River with only Benjamin by his side, in order to stop his mother from upturning their lives again. The protagonist is wise beyond his years. Edgar, who had predicted his mother's actions, sees parallels between Stephanie's determination to take what she wants and the miners who starved out First Nations population during the Gold Rush. Cumyn uses Edgar's transformation as a measure to show not only a more radical disappearance, but also a stronger ability to observe the world around his. His survival story, friendship with Benjamin, and coping mechanism will resonate with and fascinate young readers. VERDICT A thoughtful book about an observant and troubled boy, suitable for middle school collections.-Betsy Fraser, Calgary Public Library, Canada

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