Turner has only lived in Phippsburg, Maine for a few hours but he's ready to leave. He and his father, the reverend, and his mother have moved into this new town and Turner is looking for friendship and a place to belong. So far he's found some boys who want to test him and taunt him. Then, he finds Lizzie, an African American girl who is going to offer him a friend who is a full, complete human being. The two begin exploring together and build an amazing understanding and an astonishing friendship. Turner has sinned by throwing rocks at Mrs. Cobb's fence and house and is going to have to make amends by reading to the old lady every afternoon When Mrs. Cobb finds Turner in her home wearing only his underwear, he has to read to her and play the organ every afternoon.
The group of amenders stretches to include Lizzie who cautiously brings her beautiful self to the sessions but does not speak. Now Lizzie is one of the African Americans who lives on Malaga island. It's Maine and it's 1912 and the people of Phippsburg have decided to drive the entire African American community off the island so they can turn it into a revenue producing tourist resort. The African Americans have lived on the island for 160 years and are not eager to leave.
Based on a true story, Turner is now faced with some difficult decisions. He will need to turn away from his childhood securities and venture forth into the less familiar adult world and that will mean making some tough choices and seeing them through despite the consequences. This is trademark Gary Schmidt. The power of the look in his father's eye as he stumbles off a cliff and the look in the eye of a whale that Lizzie and Turner are blessed to find will offer a lesson and a message good enough to build a life upon. A two hankie book and not to be missed.
256 pages 978-0358206392 Ages 10-13
Note: This is a 2005 Newbery Honor Winner
Recommended by: Barb Langridge, abookandahug.com
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It only takes a few hours for Turner Buckminster to start hating Phippsburg, Maine. No one in town will let him forget that he's a minister's son, even if he doesn't act like one. But then he meets Lizzie Bright Griffin, a smart and sassy girl from a poor nearby island community founded by former slaves. Despite his father's-and the town's-disapproval of their friendship, Turner spends time with Lizzie, and it opens up a whole new world to him, filled with the mystery and wonder of Maine's rocky coast. The two soon discover that the town elders, along with Turner's father, want to force the people to leave Lizzie's island so that Phippsburg can start a lucrative tourist trade there. Turner gets caught up in a spiral of disasters that alter his life-but also lead him to new levels of acceptance and maturity. This sensitively written historical novel, based on the true story of a community's destruction, highlights a unique friendship during a time of change. Author's note.---from the publisher
