The Crossing

The Crossing is the first book by Gary Paulsen that I've ever read. He's well-known for some of the other novels that he's written, but I've never gotten around to those. Maybe I will soon. Let me tell you about this one.

Manny is a 14-year-old orphan living in Juarez, Mexico - just over the Texas border. His life is very difficult. He never knows where his next meal will be found. He sleeps in a cardboard box. He works the streets, hoping that tourists will give him a little money, but he also fears the older boys who will beat him if they know he has any.

Manny decides he's going to make the "crossing," the risky journey over the border into the U.S. The border is heavily guarded, and there are many others who try to make the crossing each night. But on this night, Manny encounters an American soldier. Sergeant Locke is drinking himself into a state of numbness, so that he doesn't have to remember the awfulness of war that he has experienced. He is fully in control of his drinking - he even has a sort of systematic way of doing it. Manny tries to take advantage of the sergeant, but ends up being significantly affected by him.

I'm not going to beat around the bush with this review - I didn't like this book. Without any offense towards Gary Paulsen meant. The book was well-written, but the reason why I don't like it is that I think it is probably pretty accurate in its telling. I hate the fact that a story like this one could very likely be true for some people. Manny's story may be fictitious, but I'm sure there are Manny's out there that wish their lives could be fiction. I also hate the fact that the sergeant turns to alcohol to help him "deal" with his problems, but there are plenty of people who do that too.

This is part of the ugly, brutal world we live in. We need to know what it looks like. I wish no one had to have a story like this. It makes me very grateful for the blessings that I have in my faith, family, and country.

The Slave Dancer

The Slave Dancer by Paula Fox won the Newbery Medal in 1974. It was recommended to me by Rondrea in 1997. I read it this week - finally.

Rondrea...what a girl! Fierce, loving, smiling! Too bad she was my student for only a year!

This book tells the story of Jessie, a 13-year-old boy from New Orleans who is kidnapped by sailors because he can play a fife. The captain of their ship needs a boy who plays music. Jessie learns that the music will not be for the men, but for the Africans that the ship will bring back to sell as slaves. When the Africans are brought up out of the hold for exercise, Jessie is to play and they are to "dance."

Jessie hates almost everything about being on the ship. They live in constant filth, stench, hunger, and thirst. They are at the mercy of the winds and weather, and the Captain and his mates. They must avoid other ships because slave trade is illegal. If found by the English or Americans, they will have to dump their slave cargo. At book's end, there are only two people left.

I have read some of the criticism of this book. There are some who are bothered by the way the blacks are called a few times. Certain characters in the book also show racism towards the blacks. I can understand why this bothers people, but if a novel of truly historical fiction is going to be written, then it needs to accurately show that which would have been true at the time. The truth of the past is sometimes ugly and hurtful, but that doesn't mean it is meant to be the truth of the present. You can't just edit the truth because children will be reading it.

Paula Fox herself said, "One thing is certain: the criteria for artistry and integrity must be every bit as high in books for children as for adults. We must never, ever try to pull the wool over children's eyes by "watering down" powerful stories. Contrary to popular belief, children are not easily fooled; they know if a story is authentic, or not. And for this they deserve our respect and the best literature that can be made available.

I would hope that children who read this book are abhorred by it, that it causes them to look at themselves and desire to live and think differently than the characters in the book. My concern is that kids will open up this book and not read very much before becoming disinterested. The book is extremely well-written. But if you are looking to read something that will not require you to work at it, then you should read something else. In my opinion, the best literature is not only that which engages you, but forces you to work at learning what resides within!