Americus

Gr 8 Up—In small-town Americus, Neil Barton leaves middle school and enters the trials of high school. A quiet, bookish boy who has never fit in, he misses his friend Danny and finds solace in the fantasy series "Ravenchilde." Neil finds not only escape, but also parallels in his own life as he reads of the heroine Apathea's adventures. These fantasies, which appear to be coincidentally interwoven into his daily life, give him the courage to face personal obstacles. Unfortunately, his treasured series has been challenged by a radical group of community members, led by Danny's mother. Meanwhile, Neil begins working as a page at his local library. With the support of the librarian, he takes a public stand in favor of the series and speaks before the governing board, offering an impassioned plea for inclusion of the "Ravenchilde" books on the library's shelves: "after I read them, I feel like the impossible becomes possible." The heart of this tale is that stories have the power to illuminate lives. Reciprocally, stories are enriched by the reader's experiences. Although this intricate relationship between a story and a life is suggested, it is overshadowed by the book's very prominent message about the importance of including controversial titles in library collections. Simple black-line drawings on a stark white background introduce readers to the town of Americus. Appropriately, the artist portrays the fantasy world of Ravenchilde in multiple shades of gray, eloquently reinforcing the book's overarching theme.—Barbara M. Moon, Suffolk Cooperative Library System, Bellport, NY