MOON OVER MANIFEST

by Clare Vanderpool

  

Vanderpool, Clare. 2010. MOON OVER MANIFEST. New York: Delacorte Press. ISBN 9780385738835.

Plot Summary:

In the midst of The Great Depression a twelve year old girl Abilene Tucker is given a one-way train ticket by her vagabond father to live with his boyhood friend in his hometown of Manifest, Kansas. Longing for him to join her and to find out who he really is, Abilene tries to unravel the mystery of her father’s younger years by the townsfolk. Over the span of a summer Abilene and her friends try to uncover the mystery of a spy in their midst called the Rattler, the mystery of Abilene’s father, and how the townsfolk of Manifest tie them all together. Elementary and Middle School readers are teleported from 1936, the time of The Great Depression, to 1918, during World War I, to capture the wonderful tale of two protagonists with a common connection. As all tales have beginnings, middles, and ends, each reader will be at the edge of their seat to know more at each of these points within this story within a story.

Critical Analysis:

This historical fiction story takes in 1936, during The Great Depression and in 1918, during World War I. With two protagonists in each time, both stories take place in the small town of Manifest, Kansas.

The story is about how a rich coal mine owner subjugates the immigrant population that is drawn to the town of Manifest to work long hours for company vouchers that can only be used in the company’s store. It is a tale of how a diverse population of immigrants unites to oppose the wrong doings of the coal mine owner and make a town. Children will learn about justice, diversity, unity, sadness, hope, longing, and love. Miss Sadie, the local diviner stated, “Who would dream that one can love without being crushed under the weight of it.” But with all broken hearts comes a time of healing.   

The voice of Abilene is depicted in a Southern style until she realizes that no one in Manifest speaks that way. The two distinct time periods are captured by the voices of the immigrant characters who speak English in their own dialects and those of the protagonists in each of their stories. These two epic periods in American history creates a perfect backdrop to the stories being told.

The author begins the story with a list of characters and concluded her work with author’s notes, sources and suggestions for further reading, acknowledgments, and a few paragraphs about the author. These are all very useful for the reader to refer to while and after the story is read. The use of chapter and sub-chapter headings and page numbers is helpful, but no table of contents or index is provided.

Review Excerpt:

The 2011 Newbery Medal Winner.

The Kirkus Starred Review stated about the book, “The absolute necessity of story as a way to redemption and healing past wounds is at the heart of this beautiful debut, and readers will cherish every word up to the heartbreaking yet hopeful and deeply gratifying ending.”

Kathleen Isaacs stated in her Booklist Starred Review, “Vanderpool weaves humor and sorrow into a complex tale involving murders, orphans, bootlegging, and a mother in hiding. With believable dialogue, vocabulary and imagery appropriate to time and place, and well developed characters, this rich and rewarding first novel is “like sucking on a butterscotch. Smooth and sweet”.”

Connections:

Clare Vanderpool supplied readers with a sources and suggestions page at the end of the book. This page offers five additional books for the reader to become acquainted with the time periods and people in the book. A few of these include AMERICANIZATION THROUGH EDUCATION by Loren S. Minckley and ISLAND OF HOPE: THE STORY OF ELLIS ISLAND AND THE JOURNEY TO AMERICA by Martin W. Sandler. These additional literary works may expand reader’s knowledge of the time periods and the challenges that immigrants faced coming to America.

Personal Response:

I found the story within a story to be excellently written and compelling. It was a page turner throughout the book and I hardly wanted to put it down for the night. Each revelation that Abilene experienced opened another mystery to the story. I was with Abilene as she peeled each layer to find the truth and in the end the truth she found freed her and the townsfolk around her. I highly recommend this book for children, teens and adults who like historical fiction, adventures, mysteries, and feel good endings.   

References:

Booklist, (n.d.) MOON OVER MANIFFEST Starred Review. Retrieved from http://www.amazon.com/Moon-Over-Manifest-Clare-Vanderpool/dp/product-description/0375858296/ref=dp_proddesc_0?ie=UTF8&n=283155&s=books

Kirkus Review, (2010). MOON OVER MANIFEST Starred Review. Retrieved from https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/claire-vanderpool/moon-over-manifest/

Vanderpool, Clare. (n.d.). The idea for MOON OVER MANIFEST. Retrieved from http://www.clarevanderpool.com/moonovermanifest.html