cabin looks different.
The windows are shut.
The grass is long, and
I don't see his bike.
Chicken's window has a
huge cobweb with a fly in it.
So I leave the shell there and
walk down to the beach."
Our narrator is waiting for his summer friend to arrive. The two boys have spent endless days together at the beach through the years, and he is highly anticipating more carefree days exploring and enjoying their usual pursuits.
As he stands quietly waiting, readers can see that his little sister is busy with castle building. He is busy thinking about past summers and the many things he and Chicken have done, and will do, together. His sister does her best to entice him with things worth seeing. He can't turn his attention to her because he is so intent on watching for his friend.
Each treasured memory of those things he admires about Chicken make the story personal and nostalgic.
"Last year, Chicken Smith gave me a piece of
driftwood he had carved into a whale.
So this year, I got Chicken this crazy shell
from the gas-station shop."
He waits and waits. When he finally acknowledges the excitement in his sister's voice, he decides to follow her. For the first time ever, he sees the whale he and Chicken have so desperately wanted to see themselves. The two watch together until it is time to return home for dinner. They spend the evening reading a book about whales, finally realizing that Chicken is a no-show this summer. Next? Or the one after that? Who can know? In the meantime, he and Mary Ann have found a sense of camaraderie.
Changing vistas, beautifully designed pages, and dynamic use of color ensure close observation. Readers will feel themselves immersed in beach life and the warmth of the summer season. I love this book!
No comments:
Post a Comment