In the last few years, I have heard the great American classic, To Kill A Mockingbird, frequently being recommended for middle-grade readers. I staunchly disagree with the general practice of recommending that tough book to readers below eleventh grade. Could there be a particular child for whom it is a good fit? Maybe. But, it is my opinion that that essential work of American fiction was written for adults and should be considered worthy of waiting for. Even if a middle-grade reader could handle the darkness, I wonder if they could really grasp the fullness of the story and its power at such a young age.
Some have mentioned that Wolf Hollow by Lauren Wolk would be a better fit for a younger crowd looking for a story set in small-town America about a misunderstood social outcast. I was curious, so I read it this weekend. I see why some think that way. I see the appeal of this story. I see how easily it could be fairly compared to Mockingbird. I agree this could be a good substitute for Mockingbird if there were a reason to wrestle with these themes. I ask, however, if something else might be better for a young reader and better overall?
I do not, however, like Wolf Hollow even a fraction as much as I love To Kill a Mockingbird. And I am a little unsettled about why that is. In this story, the protagonist might be more likable than Scout. The maligned outcast is more sympathetic than Boo Radley. And the parents are more attentive than Atticus. The writing is excellent. The story is interesting. And the way Americans treated Germans during WWII is good for us to grapple with.
I think that what mars the story for me is that the burdens on the protagonist are inappropriate for the target age of the readers. Annabelle adopts some troubling behavior that is unnecessary and designed only to further the plot. And some of the events of the story are almost as graphic and disturbing as Mockingbird.
I found myself depressed and frustrated throughout the story, and I didn’t find a powerful redeeming theme. I know that we are supposed to be cheering for Annabelle because she is so brave and strong, but I find myself wanting to take her into my arms, to hug her, and then promptly ground her until she learns to be more honest and trustworthy. While the villains in the story are true villains, Annabelle in her immaturity, makes things more complicated than necessary and ultimately deadly.
I have written and re-written this review many times. I have strong opinions about this book, but I think my role here is to serve you by giving you the details that you may wish to know so you can make your own decision. To that end, I will continue with spoilers from here on out.
If you wish to know more about this book without explicit spoilers, head over to Biblioguides to see their content considerations.
SPOILERS
When I read the reviews on the back of the book, I am perplexed. Publishers Weekly says this is a story about Annabelle’s loss of innocence. I guess that is right. I am not ready for it to be the loss of innocence for my little people.