Curley loves his home with his Papaw. They live in the
Appalachian Mountains, and Curley could spend all day
enjoying the beauty of nature with his friend, Jules. On
top
of that, Papaw has been giving Curley a word once a week to
help him learn how to express himself to his fullest. When
a
new boss takes over the mountain mining group, Curley must
use both his love of the land and his powerful words to
save
the place he calls home.
As someone who lives around the Appalachian Mountains
myself, I was looking forward to SAVING WONDER. Mary Knight
does a stunning job of capturing the beautiful atmosphere
of
the area and the people. Beyond that, Knight masterfully
shows the common duality people who live in mountains where
there is coal mining experience: they hate the harm it does
to the land, but it often provides much needed work.
Curley,
who has lost family to coal mining accidents, sees this
around him, but he knows the mountains are vital and
must be preserved, though it may cost his family
personally.
His use of vocabulary will also make a great addition to
younger readers as they expand their own vocabulary as
well.
While I enjoy Curley's development and devotion to his
home,
his character is sometimes a bit frustrating, especially
when it comes to his best friend and crush, Jules. Jules
herself isn't as developed as she could be, and while
Curley
may mean well, he sometimes shows an uncomfortable lack of
respect for her as she starts to like the new boy in
school.
Though it has its flaws, SAVING WONDER is an enjoyable
read,
especially for those who love mountain life. The
descriptions of nature are lovely, and there is no doubting
the immense bond that people can feel to the land around
them.
Having lost most of his family to coal mining accidents as a little boy, Curley Hines lives with his grandfather in the Appalachian Mountains of Wonder Gap, Kentucky. Ever since Curley can remember, Papaw has been giving him a word each week to learn and live. Papaw says words are Curley's way out of the holler, even though Curley has no intention of ever leaving. When a new coal boss takes over the local mining company, life as Curley knows it is turned upside down. Suddenly, his best friend, Jules, is interested in the coal boss's son, and worse, the mining company threatens to destroy Curley and Papaw's mountain. Now Curley faces a difficult choice. Does he use his words to speak out against Big Coal and save his mountain, or does he remain silent and save his way of life? From debut author Mary Knight comes a rich, lyrical, and utterly transporting tale about friendship, the power of words, and the difficult hurdles we must overcome for the people and places we love.
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