February 10, 2014
Drawing from the Hans Christian Andersen story The Nightingale, Loftin (The Sinister Sweetness of Splendid Academy) contrasts the uplifting friendship between 12-year-old narrator Little John and an otherworldly foster child with the oppressive poverty of a Texas setting and the burdens of grief. Still reeling from the death of his sister, Little John helps his landscaper father on the property of the richest and most powerful man in town, the Emperor. While working there, Little John befriends Gayle, who builds a nest in a tree and whose enchanting voice possesses healing powers and makes her an object of the Emperor's sinister interest. The elements of magical realism are not as potent as the stark descriptions of Little John's difficult life, including his family's precarious economic situation, Little John's estrangement from his former best friend, his mother's tenuous grasp on reality, and his father's drinking problem. Yet the intensity of Little John's predicament as the Emperor enlists his help to capture Gayle's voice offers menacing and memorable tension. Ages 8â12. Agent: Suzie Townsend, New Leaf Literary & Media.
Starred review from December 15, 2013
A kindhearted Texas boy finds his life transformed by an enigmatic girl whose singing has the power to heal in this novel-length spin on Andersen's "The Nightingale." Twelve-year-old "Little" John's father works for the "Emperor," the wealthy owner of a chain of dollar stores. John grieves for his little sister, who was killed when she fell from a tree, and blames himself for not catching her. His financially strapped father drinks too much, and his mother's depressed. Clearing brush near the Emperor's house, John hears magical singing that "seep[s] right through" him like "a honey-soft river of sound." Unsure if it's a bird or a girl, he discovers a fragile, ethereal, birdlike 8-year-old girl named Gayle perched in a sycamore tree. John instinctively wants to protect Gayle from her foster mother, from her precarious living conditions (a twig nest) and from the Emperor, who offers John $500 to convince her to sing for him so he can record her perfect voice. To help his parents, John betrays Gayle with nearly disastrous results. John narrates his story in fluid, lyrical prose, Loftin blending the raw realism of a boy who makes the wrong choice with the fairy-tale magic of a girl with a nightingale voice. Unusual, finely crafted story of loss, betrayal and healing. (Magical realism. 8-12)
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March 1, 2014
Gr 3-6-Pulling readers in from the very first page, Loftin's novel shares the enchanting quality of the Andersen fairy tale that inspired it. Packed with serious subjects (child abuse, mental illness, death, and poverty), it is also the story of forgiveness, healing, and friendship. Little John is only 12, but he bears the burdens of the death of his sister, his mother's ensuing breaks with reality, his father's drinking, and the family's dire financial situation. His life is brightened after a chance encounter with Gayle, a young girl with the voice of a nightingale. Along with her magically beautiful and healing voice, Gayle brings problems of her own to add to Little John's load. Forced to sacrifice his new friend in order to help his desperate family, Little John is full of despair and self-loathing. How he resolves this and comes to terms with all of his relationships comprise the remainder of the story. The setting is vivid and readers will feel the oppressive summer heat as the protagonist engages in back-breaking work alongside his father. The plot rolls along at a consistent pace and there is enough suspense to keep readers turning pages. It is Loftin's skill in depicting both the human and the arboreal characters that will engage and inspire readers. The lyrical, descriptive prose and the hopeful ending will linger long after the final chapter.-Sara-Jo Lupo Sites, George F. Johnson Memorial Library, Endicott, NY
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July 1, 2014
When Little John meets Gayle, they're both missing someone: John's sister has died and Gayle's parents have abandoned her. Little John knows that there's something magical about Gayle's beautiful singing, and he's faced with a difficult choice when the most powerful man in town aches to possess it. This arresting tale of magical realism is filled with resonant emotions packaged in graceful prose.
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