December issue
by Cynthia Winfield
http://www.voya.com

 

5Q 5P M
Kimmel, J. L., and David Ceccarelli, The Yawning Rabbit River Chronicle
 

This magnificent, three-part tale opens in a once-idyllic forest where the creatures fear for their survival amid a drought so long-standing that none recall ever seeing a river and the dangers of hungry hunters. So desperate are they that a lightning-fast jackrabbit thief undertakes a quest to find the mythological river goddess, Violet, and race her for the river. As he departs, the forest librarian owl reads Violet’s story aloud from a very special book. Part two occurs many years later on the estate of absurdly conspicuous consumers, Mr. and Mrs. Miller, the latter of whom hates rain and nature sounds. Their children are twins purchased at a bargain price—the loud, aggressive Ash, deemed “boyish” by parents who discount the sensitive, thoughtful Dusty. A mishap with the past makes Ash evil and infects the Miller house with “soul crawlers, parasites of hate that thrived where evil lurked.” Twenty years later, in the adjoining township, part three brings thirteen-year-old Nub Begley, a farmer boy, and female classmate Nil Turner. Their adventures complete the complex tapestry of this rich tale.

In this heartwarming tale, good triumphs over evil, danger threatens every good soul, and history is contained within the pages of an important book that appears throughout. This story will make life-long readers of youth not previously committed to reading. Middle schools and public libraries will want multiple copies. Doting adults will do well to gift copies to beloved youth. Adults who take the time to explore these pages will be reminded of the important titles of their youth, the ones that originally hooked them on reading.