Walking on Air: Amazon.ca: Kelly Easton: Books

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Book Description

Publication Date: Mar 23 2004

But today I dream of falling...into the crowd of God-struck people. The pale leaves of their faces tilt up and their white limbs rise to catch me as I am passed among the river of their hands, one to another, am kept by them, am kept.

-- from Walking on Air

It is the Depression in America, 1931. Twelve-year-old June is a tightrope walker. Performing in her preacher father's revival shows, June travels through cities, makeshift camps, carnivals, and freak shows. The family has no home, no money, no friends -- and faith that is getting thinner than the air upon which June walks. On her journey June examines her life and is torn between loyalty to her family and their religion, and the life she might have. She comes to understand that discovering what the world has in store for her will require facing old family secrets and making some gut-wrenching decisions.

Walking on Air is a stirring novel of self-examination, as June balances on a literal and figurative tightrope within the rich and tormented landscape of America during the Depression. Facing the problems of her day, June must use her wit, fire, and strong spirit in order to triumph.

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

#outer_postBodyPS { display: none; } #psGradient { display: none; } #psPlaceHolder { display: none; } #psExpand { display: none; } But today I dream of falling...into the crowd of God-struck people. The pale leaves of their faces tilt up and their white limbs rise to catch me as I am passed among the river of their hands, one to another, am kept by them, am kept.

-- from Walking on Air

Product Details

Hardcover: 240 pages
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry; 1 edition (Mar 23 2004)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0689848757
ISBN-13: 978-0689848759
Product Dimensions: 19.9 x 14 x 2.2 cm
Shipping Weight: 290 g

Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)

Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #2,503,921 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Product Description

From School Library Journal

Grade 6-8–Set during the early years of the Great Depression, this novel centers around a deluded and impoverished itinerant preacher, his emotionally spent and physically frail wife, and their 12-year-old daughter, June. Failing to attract an audience, the girl's father designs a tightrope-walking act to draw people to his sermons. When Pa is arrested and sent to prison for five months, June and her mother have a brief respite of stability and peace in a small town where June finally has a chance to go to school. There she's given a copy of Grimms' Fairy Tales by a kind teacher and, like the many Bible stories recounted in the novel, the tales provide a counterpoint to events of her life. But the glimpse of happiness is temporary, and soon another round of disasters leads to June's brave decision to make a break that may be necessary for her survival. The book ends happily, rather like one of the fairy tales she loves. June is an introspective and sympathetic character. Easton's writing is smooth, filled with rich descriptions and images, but her plotting and timing are not as successful. After a while, unhappiness piles on unhappiness without a strong underlying dynamic. Karen Hesse's Out of the Dust (Scholastic, 1997) is a more cohesive look at hardships during those hard times.–Lauralyn Persson, Wilmette Public Library, IL
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

Gr. 6-8. In 1931, June walks a tightrope "like an angel" as her father preaches at revival meetings. They travel with June's mother, Agnes, and their enigmatic assistant, Rhett, who refuses to speak and frequently disappears for weeks at a time. During her father's imprisonment on a trespassing charge, June, Rhett, and Agnes enjoy a brief period of happiness but are uprooted upon his release, and soon begin a downward spiral. As her mother lies ill in a Hooverville shack, June learns an astonishing secret about her paternity that even her father doesn't know. Period details vividly re-create the despair of the Great Depression. June's first-person narrative is filled with Bible stories that reveal the girl's questions of faith and growing independence but slow the pace of the novel. After overwhelming adversity, the blissful conclusion also strains credibility. Still, June is an engaging, compassionate character whose spirited account both amuses and inspires. Linda Perkins
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Customer Reviews

Most helpful customer reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful book Jun 16 2004

By A Customer

Format:Hardcover

It feels like there's so much confusion about religion and spirituality these days, with lots of horrible things happening in the name of God. This book really gets at that subject as June tries to find her way spiritually while having religion shoved down her throat in a way that's mean. I loved all the bible stories, which made me remember how confused I was when I first read it. Also, it was cool to read about someone not having anything, like during the depression and how they surprised.

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4.0 out of 5 stars A sharp, emotional novel May 18 2004

By Teen Reads

Format:Hardcover

Travel back to the time of the Great Depression with 12-year-old June and her family. Her father is a preacher, and a highlight of his traveling tent show is June's tightrope act. She can twirl, flip and amaze crowds. But fewer and fewer people can part with money in these hard times, and her parents are tense and stretched to the limit in every way. They make a wrong turn in Detroit, where her father is imprisoned for five months.

While they wait for him to be released, June is allowed to go to school and live in a house with her mother and Rhett, a longtime friend of her mother's. She actually has friends and a teacher she likes. Her mother finds a job, and June relaxes into this life with a newfound sense of security.

But then her father is released, and all he wants to do is return to the tent shows. When her mother becomes ill and hospitalized, June knows it's decision time. And where is Rhett? He has always turned up to help them through bad times in the past. Who is he really?

June must choose what is right for her in the presence of the three confused adults who make up her family. Where does she belong?

The setting of the desperate 1930s richly comes alive in this moving novel. June's struggle to find herself is applicable to young people in any time, but the struggle to survive in the Depression brings it into sharp focus.

--- Reviewed by Amy Alessio

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com ^(beta)

Amazon.com: 4.5 out of 5 stars 6 reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars depressing, fulfilling, and enraging. May 7 2006

A Kid's Review - Published on Amazon.com

Format:Hardcover

This book is very sad in some parts, because June (the main character) feels out on her own sometimes and, well, like she's walking on air. Even though it is kind of depressing, it's a real page turner, and there are lots of twists in the story. Sometimes I got really furious at June's dad for being so intollerant of other religions. He won't even let June read a book of fairy tales because he thinks it's paganism! I find that very ignorant of him. This is a very fun book to read, and I recommend it.

5.0 out of 5 stars Touching Aug 31 2007

By Padma Venkatraman - Published on Amazon.com

Format:Hardcover

This is Easton at her best. In this touching portrait of a girl growing up during the Great Depression, Easton combines reality and philosophy, and the result is a heart-warming novel. I'm sure her upcoming novel, Hiroshima Dreams, will also be in this mould, and I look forward to reading it. While you're waiting for that book to come out, I'd also suggest reading "Life History of a Star" - my favourite of all of Easton's books.

4.0 out of 5 stars Good Historcal fiction July 10 2005

By C. Shorkey - Published on Amazon.com

Format:Hardcover

The book brings religion to us through the eyes of a child. It shows how childern are completely innocent. I liked the book but I don;t think I would let a child read it due to the realtionship the mother has with the father and how part of it makes religion look pretty bad.

› Go to Amazon.com to see all 6 reviews 4.5 out of 5 stars

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Walking on Air [Hardcover]

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