An exceptional book has the ability to lift, inspire and transform people. Written in an engaging style, readers will "get lost" in the story and eagerly identify with the characters in the novel.
But the story must rise above mere interest to truly move readers. The author must create a compelling plot that reflects the reader’s own fears, joys and aspirations. The more moving the story, the greater is the connection the author has made with our lives. The reason for this is that the writer has described and touched our human dignity. When treated with grace, the author is able to help us see the importance and connection we have with each other and ultimately, with God Himself. Clare Vanderpool has written such a book. The title of this powerful novel is "Moon Over Manifest."
Abilene Tucker looks out over the sun-baked southeastern Kansas countryside and jumps off the train before it pauses briefly in the town of Manifest. It is 1936; the Great Depression and years of drought have just about left Kansas in a state of desperate misery. Abilene walks into town with a satchel filled with a few clothes, two dimes, a letter of introduction and a gold compass. Inside the compass the words: "St. Dizier; October 8, 1918" are inscribed. Her daddy, Gideon, wants her to live with an old friend, Shady Howard.
On introduction, Abilene looks at Shady and sees an older, broken down man carrying a lifetime of pain. He takes the girl to his dilapidated house, which once served as a church and later as a saloon. Now however, it is primarily an old "speakeasy" (outlawed tavern) where illegal moonshine whiskey was brewed.
Curiously, Shady has made her go to class on the last day of the school year, and she meets her teacher, Sister Redempta. Some of the children are overbearing toward the child, but two girls, Ruthanne and Lettie, decide to become her friends. Sister Redempta assigns Abilene a summer project of writing an essay about any topic of interest.
After school is dismissed, Abilene goes back to Shady’s house and begins looking through her meager belongings. The girl begins reading old newspapers from 1918 trying to discover some clues to why her father sent her to this strange place. An ache also grows in her heart as she tries to understand her father’s absence and the loneliness that surrounds her.
The newspaper articles lead her to the local editor, Hattie Mae Harper. There she senses some terrible painful event happened to Gideon in 1918. As she explores the rundown town, Abilene meets a Hungarian diviner of future events named Miss Sadie. While the old lady doesn’t seem to be able to predict events very accurately, she appears to know everything about the past.
As the stories slowly come out of Miss Sadie, Abilene begins to learn how the past and present begin to form each other. She also learns that these events transform people for good or ill and even the gift of love can crush your heart. But Abilene must know the past to understand the present. She needs someone to enlighten her.
On her own Abilene finds out two young men named Jinx and Ned are central to understanding who she is. Somehow part of the answers to her life can be found in the inscription inside the compass. But what do the words mean? She has to know and anxiously walks to Miss Sadie’s house to find out the painful truth about her father’s life.
This marvelous novel is a coming of age story of a young girl. The book won the Newbery Medal for the most distinguished book in children’s literature in 2011. The flashback techniques incorporated throughout the story build suspense and interest. We find that life is filled with both pain and joy but by reaching out in love people are healed.
When you have finished the book you may feel like you have enjoyed a sweet and satisfying butterscotch candy. I hope you get a chance to read this fine book and that you encourage your children to do the same. It is a beautiful tale.
