Here is another one of my book talks. The book is Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy. It is, in my opinion, one of the best Young Adult Books that came out in 2004. It was both and Newbery and Printz honor book. The story is interesting, funny, and exciting, but it is also based on a true and quite horrifying history of Malaga Island. This island and its people was the site of a very sad story that happened almost a century ago and this book does a great job capturing the feel of event. While I don’t think this is one of my best book talks, it should give you a good idea for what the book is about.
Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy
By: Gary Schmidt
Just a few hours after moving to Phippsburg, Maine Turner Buckminster has already decided that he hates it there and that he wants to move back to Boston. He doesn’t get along with the children there. He wasted no time getting in trouble with the neighbors. Perhaps worst of all they don’t even play Baseball the right way in Phippsburg. He also hates being the minister’s son in this small town, which requires him to always wear a white shirt with an overly starched collar and to act more like a minister then a boy. Turner hates it more and more every moment until he meets Lizzie Bright when he is hanging out on the shore. She is the most interesting person he has every met and having her as a friend makes this town much more interesting.
However the real problem is this. The year is 1911 and the town is losing a lot of money as its once vital shipping business dies. They decide to start making money through tourism since it is a beautiful, costal city. However tourists won’t want to come if they have to look out at the ocean and see the shanty town which is Malaga Island. Malaga Island is inhabited by a handful of freed slaves and assorted other minorities. The people there have worked hard to create a life for themselves and have received no help from any one. Now the town of Phippsburg is trying to kick them off of their island and force them to leave even though they have nowhere to go.
If you haven’t already guessed, Lizzie Bright lives on that Island, where her grandfather is the preacher, and leader of all the people there. Turner and Lizzie try everything they can to stop this horrible thing from happening but they may not be strong enough to stop it.
