Susan Patron

I remember liking this when I was younger (perhaps because I had an unhealthy interest in ghosts and scary things...). Now, this story simply seems unnecessarily harsh and inexplicably not like most historical fiction novels. I'm sure other people have already mentioned this, but the creepy ghost girl was not necessary in the story and simply serves to make everything else seem rather unrealistic.

Either way, I think everyone who has read this book can agree that Behind the Masks is the strangest (by far) of the Dear America series. I myself wouldn't recommend this book anymore, but it's worth a try if you're set on reading it. :) Still, the other Dear America books are certainly worth reading.

Content warnings: Mentions of brothels, gun fights, mining accidents, dead bodies, "curves" on a woman, blood and bleeding, drowning, and the 601 vigilantes. In one scene, a tiny ghost girl is seen drowning in a puddle. Even though this serves as a plot point, the scene may be quite disturbing to younger readers. I will elaborate more on this later.

Full review to come.… (más)

It's easy to see why The Higher Power of Lucky won the Newbery Medal, but not so easy to see why such a fuss was made when it came out over the author's use of the word scrotum. Seriously? Oh well. Lucky's story does touch on some heavy subjects (addiction and 12-step meetings, death, jail, poverty) that parents of ambitious younger readers might want to be aware of, but Patron tackles them with a tender, discerning eye, and the book's beautiful illustrations further soften their impact. I suspect this is one that resonates differently with children and adults too. Personally, I cried my eyes out (happy/bittersweet tears) over one scene towards the end, but a child might have a different reaction. Lucky, Lincoln, and Miles are wonderful characters, and Patron paints the adults of Hard Pan, California with a colorful brush too. Good stuff here all around!… (más)