Can you believe I ran out of library books in the middle of the readathon? Fortunately I have my emergency stash in my shed--mostly thrift shop and yard sale acquisitions. They are slightly older books, but not the oldies you had to read to graduate high school. And some of these books are as relevant today as when they were hot off the press. David Klass's California Blue is a perfect example.
John, Klass's narrator, is the youngest child in a very traditional family. His brothers followed in their father's football star footsteps while his sisters excelled in cheerleading. John feels his father's disappointment keenly.
"They [parents] had four wonderful kids and they didn't plan on having any more, and then my mother got pregnant with me and they decided, 'Oh, what the heck, why not?"
I guess they wish they had quit at four."
One night at supper his father hits John with some sobering news. He's been diagnosed with leukemia. The doctor has given him a 30% chance of survival. His parents leave to try a medical treatment, leaving John home alone.
When running through an old growth forest John discovers a very unusual chrysalis. He puts it into his terrarium where it morphs. into a beautiful blue butterfly 🦋 unlike any he's ever seen. A college professor confirms that it is unique and endangered. He starts the process to get it legally protected.
The problem is that John lives in a one industry town. His father and many of their neighbors are employed by the lumber mill. Protecting the butterfly would involve shutting down the mill that is about the only game in town and decimating the population, essentially destroying the close knit community.
Let's say John has stirred up a real hornets' nest.
Klass has created highly believable characters and a highly engaging and complex plot. I think it's more relevant than when it dropped because our nation seems so caught up in simple, adversarial thinking when it comes to really complicated issues.
On a purrrsonal note, Wednesday morning Amber sent me a video the Orono Public Library had posted about why the library and it's expansion are so important. I'm in it in two places. If you want to see it's on YouTube. Look under Orono Public Library. The vigil went really well. We got lots of honks. I got some treasures at the thrift shop. Are you making any good plans for the weekend? I hope you get to do something fun.
A great big shout out goes out to Klass for creating a narrative that continues to be relevant long after it was hot off the press.
Jules Hathaway
Sent from my Galaxy
No comments:
Post a Comment