From Publishers Weekly
Through down-to-earth prose, Newbery Honor author Staples (Shabanu; Haveli) sharply evokes the loss of childhood and the effects of racism in a contemporary rural town on the shore of Chesapeake Bay. Buck and Tunes, both 12 years old, have been like brother and sister even though Buck is white and Tunes is black?but on the day the two discover a corpse floating in a channel, the differences between their lives become overwhelmingly apparent. Tunes stands accused of murder, and narrator Buck's loyalty to her faces a severe test. Chased by both the authorities and the real killer, Tunes goes into hiding, but her respite proves only temporary. Like To Kill a Mockingbird, this masterfully crafted story boldly conveys uncomfortable truths about society while expressing the innocence of children. Staples contrasts all that is natural and good about the protagonists' friendship against the lies that ultimately tear apart their relationship. The ending may defy readers' wishful expectations, delivering instead a bracing and resonant statement about justice and judgment. Ages 10-up.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From School Library Journal
Grade 7 Up-Before leaving for college, Buck Smith recalls the defining moment of his life, which occurred when he was 12. His closest friend, Tunes, is the motherless child of the black family who has served the Smiths since slavery days. When a local Hispanic farm-labor manager is found with a bullet from Tunes's gun in his head, and the richest man in the county swears she was having an affair with the dead man, Buck is convinced that she is innocent. He is stunned when his father refuses to help and counsels him to put distance between himself and Tunes. Even more incomprehensible, her father gives him the same advice. Tunes's running away puts both of the young people in the path of unspeakable evil. Staples has drawn a fascinating picture of an isolated, antiquated way of life along Virginia's Eastern Shore. There are many colorful supporting characters, and the author masterfully delineates the way that racism can divide people who truly care about one another. Buck comes to believe that life has both beautiful and destructive cycles, just as the Chesapeake Bay does, but that one must survive and forgive. Although it is easy to become enthralled with Staples's ability to convey place, tone, and mood, there are some problems with characterization and voice. The villain seems a bit flat, and it is hard to understand why anyone would believe the sexual accusations he levels at Tunes. Buck's understanding of the story he is relating seems uneven. And, sadly, readers are left wondering if there is any hope of true justice. Not as successful as Shabanu (Knopf, 1989), but interesting as a look at a fascinating subculture in a remarkably defined place.
Cindy Darling Codell, Clark Middle School, Winchester, KYCopyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.
