Donny Bailey Seagraves' story of eleven year old Daniel Sartain, chronicles a family torn asunder. Daniel's family has been in pain for awhile--several years before, his father was the driver in the car accident that killed Daniel's grandparents. Since then his Uncle Clay and his father have been at odds, and his father has developed a drinking problem. Uncle Clay has slipped into the role of a loving surrogate father, but that all ends one November day, when the two of them go rabbit hunting. Purely by accident, Daniel's gun goes off, killing Clay. The remainder of the book is the story of hisstruggle through the grief process and the results for his family. Interwoven throughout all daniel's thoughts are comments (in conversation form) from his Uncle Clay. The book comes o a tense climax, when Daniel finds his gun (hidden away since the tragedy) and goes out into the woods to commit suicide. While there is a "happier" resolution, it is somewhat pat. The author, however, grapples successfully with several BIG issues: gun safety, alcoholism, grief, suicide, therapy, and dysfunctional families. Her writing maintains the tension well and she, for the most part, realistic in her portrayal of this family in crisis.
While this is a well-written, thoughtful book, it doesn't have that extra "something" to put it on my Newbery contender list.
Rating: 4 of 5
To suggest other titles to the committee, please email newberysuggestions@kcls.org .
Leave a comment