...packs a powerful punch. This is how I feel about two books I recently read;
Dorp Dead by Julia Cunningham and
Kat's Fall by Shelley Hrdlitschka. I found both books on the shelf by chance, as I was shelving other books and they caught my eye.
Dorp Dead almost reads like a fable, but has an eerie undertone. Here is a product description that I pulled off amazon.com;
"A reissue of the novel that dramatically changed children’s literature in the 20th century. Julia Cunningham’s ground-breaking novel, first published in 1965 and unavailable in any edition for a decade, is reissued for a whole new generation of readers to call their own. “Here . . . is the story of a boy who discovers himself, who basically comes to grips with that most contemporary of problems, the isolation of the individual. It is told within the near-classic framework of the story of the orphan who survives and escapes maltreatment to find love, but it is told in frank, literate terms in the lingo of today’s youngsters. And it has, as an additional dimension, a touch of the Gothic tale, a tinge of terror and a shade of romanticism.” (The New York Herald Tribune)
Well...needless to say, between the cover, the shortness of the book and that description, I couldn't wait to read this book. Overall? I would recommend this title. It is written with honesty and intelligence, and it's nice to read a book that does not talk down to the young adult audience. It also gives you that creepy feeling, which is perfect for this time of year!
Then there was
Kat's Fall. This book? So much going on. This is a must read if you are one of those readers that likes "drama" and realistic fiction. I couldn't believe how many issues and emotions the main character Darcy (a boy!) was dealing with. It's impressive that Hrdlitschka packs all this into such a small book with a decent conclusion to boot! I will caution that this book does deal with some very serious issues including cutting, child abuse and addiction.
