Navigating Early, by Clare Vanderpool,
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| photo from parnassusbooks.net |
The Review…
Shortly after his mother’s death, Jack Baker is sent to an all-boys boarding in Maine. Faced with unfamiliar people, climate, sports, and terrain, Jack finds himself in a sudden friendship with Early Auden. Early, “that strangest of boys,” who has rules about which records can play on which day of the week and counts jelly beans to calm himself, is obsessed with the number pi and a certain black bear that has been stalking the Appalachian Mountains. When Early sets off on his own journey into the Appalachian wilderness to find pi, Jack has no choice but to follow. Vanderpool successfully weaves mystery, suspense, grief and fantasy into a poignant tale of two boys desperately searching for something to hold on to. The wistful journey leaves both the boys and the reader with a sense of friendship and hope. Recommended for ages 10-13, Navigating Early is an excellent piece of storytelling.
The Opinion…
I really enjoyed this book. Clare Vanderpool is a deep and detailed storyteller. Her debut novel, Moon Over Manifest, won the Newbery Medal in 2011. Any time a debut novel wins such an award, I get nervous that it was just a one-time thing, a one hit wonder. But Vanderpool has proved herself here with another great novel. Definitely worth checking it out of the pub and giving it a try.
I audio’ed it (because I love.love.love audiobooks) and I’d recommend picking up the audio if you have a roadtrip coming up soon. Or, if you’re like me and you’ve found that you also like listening to audiobooks while making dinner or doing laundry or cleaning your room.
Who am I kidding, I don’t clean my room…
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