Valerie Hobbs does a wonderful job weaving this story about Toby, an eleven-year-old city boy with cancer, Pearl, a 94-year-old poet with macular degeneration (results in poor eyesight) living alone on a dilapidated farm, and Blossom, an aging milk cow. Toby is on vacation when he discovers Blossom, the cow. He's concerned about how skinny she is, so he heads to the nearby farm to confront the farmer who happens to be an old woman, Pearl.
Defiance is a rich story deep with meaning for people who have experienced cancer or other losses in life. Early in the book, Toby reads the sign posted on Pearl's house, "Whoever steals my freedom takes my life," which is one theme of the book. Toby feels like his parents are stealing his freedom. Pearl feels like her daughters are trying to steal her freedom. Pearl and Toby just want to be free to make the decisions they want to make. Pearl and Toby discover they are exactly what each other needs to help them make important decisions.
Audience: all (especially someone who is sometimes tired of fighting and needs hope to keep going)
Genre: realistic
Topics: cancer, death, dying, secrets, cows, being sick, chemotherapy, lying, telescope, stars, poetry, tired of fighting, tired of treatment, being in a dark place, hope, reincarnation (mentioned)
Mrs. Beckwith's rating: 5 of 5
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Thanks for the great review. You really got this book, and I'm delighted.
ReplyDeleteValerie HObbs