Shelley Pearsall

Dreaming of seeing my own books in bookstores one day, I find myself consciously wondering sometimes, what makes me pick a book up from the shelf? What makes me look at the blurb on the back? And then what makes me buy? Unfortunately what makes me buy is all too often influenced by whether the book is cheap, and some of my most treasured finds have been remaindered hardbacks.

Crooked River was a hardback remainder with a beautiful cover. Purple clouds (I like purple) loom in a black-lit sky show more and jagged lightning stabs at a woven earth-toned patterned thread. That’s why I picked it up. The back blurb lists the awards received for Shelley Pearsall’s previous book, Trouble Don’t Last, convincing me she must be a good writer who tells a good tale. And the inside flap reveals the voice of Indian John in prose poetry, coupled with this introduction, “The year is 1812. A white trapper is murdered. And a young Chippewa Indian stands accused.” I was hooked.

The story is told in two voices, that of Indian John with flowing words likes streams of living meaning, and that of Rebecca Carver, a thirteen-year-old slowly learning just how wrong the world can be. Her halting steps, from obedient acceptance of everything she’s told, to human concern and thankfulness and thought, are beautifully told. Her words reflect the language of the time—the author says she mined old documents and diaries for authentic turns of phrase. The passages grow to reveal the mind of a genuine girl with a thirteen-year-old’s passion for truth and joy under the burden of a settler’s needs.

I learned how justice was conducted on the frontier, how judges travelled from town to town, how decisions were made and lives ended with the aid of a jury of somebody’s peers. I learned of human frailty, of good people believing falsehood and closing their ears to truth, and also of hope. I longed for the right ending to the book, though I couldn’t see how it would come. And then I read an ending that was righter than right and delighted me.

I hope I might read Trouble Don’t Last one day. But for now, Crooked River was a wonderful introduction to an author whose research astounds and convinces, and whose writing voices inspire. show less

I love reading a novel without knowing anything about it and being so surprised where the story takes me! This has a fantastic opening passage where a boy called Arthur throws a brick at a homeless man because he is wearing his deceased father's hat,that his mother threw away! The man breaks his arm, Arthur is arrested but instead of going to jail, Mr. Hampton, the man he hit, does a deal with the judge requesting that Arthur work for him. SPOILER:
It turns out, Mr H collects junk (he isn't show more homeless) which he turns into a fantastic work of art called Heaven.
Based on a true story: the art work does exist, the story is set in the 60s and looks at the effect of death on a family, the concepts of art and faith, the effects of war and how you find friendship in unlikely places. The characters are fantastic- sad, angry Arthur who hates the world that took away his father; insane Mr Hampton who calls everyone a saint but is creating a masterpiece; Squeak, the boy Arthur saves at school from the jocks who stands up in the canteen holding a sign "throw things at me"; Officer Beatrice, Arthur's parole officer, who says "stop" all the time but makes the most delicious food and has a heart of gold and finally the laconic owner of the tattoo parlour, Groovy Jim!
And of course, there is the wonderful cryptic list of important things that Arthur must collect in an old shopping trolley for Mr H. Each a physical object but also a symbol of something important in life!
Loved this novel and will definitely purchase for my Library! show less

This is a story about Arthur Owens and his redemption through life. At the age of thirteen, Arthur finds himself losing his father and in a juvenile detention center for hitting a man with a brick. When Arthur is sentenced to 120 hours of community service he finds himself working for the old man he hit in the arm with a brick, Mr. Hampton also known as the junk man. He must collect the seven most important things for Mr. Hampton. Through the story we see a lot of growth in Arthur's show more character. He finds patience and learns how to express his feelings more. Arthur has no idea why he must collect these items from the garbage until he finds Mr. Hampton's art in his garage. Eventually, Arthur must endure another loss in his life when Mr. Hampton dies from cancer. Unlike his father's death, Arthur does not have such a hard time dealing with it. He is determined to save Mr. Hampton's art and please him. Seven years later, when Arthur is 21, Mr. Hampton's art is finally going on display in the National Collection of Fine Arts Museum named "Hampton's Throne". In the beginning I did not care for the story. I was pulled in when Arthur started discovering each of the seven things, helping Mr. Hampton in the garage. becoming friends with Squeak and Officer Billie's involvement. I loved the growth that Arthur endured during this story. In just a few months, the 120 hours he saw as a stupid thing, he became to love and understand. Mr. Hampton believed that Arthur saved him, but I believe Mr. Hampton saved Arthur turning his life around for the better. I believe everything happens for a reason and if Arthur's father would have still been alive I can only wonder where Arthur might be. show less

What do you get when you have a bunch of disinterested inner-city students each with a unique set of problems, a seventh grade math teacher who is worn out from trying to interest them in something, and it’s Friday afternoon? A disaster—and then the teacher proposes something totally different? Is there any chance that life will turn around for these students?
I loved seeing the effect that a giant tetrahedron-building contest had on each of these children, and their families. One thing I show more especially liked was the way the worst thing that could have happened turned into the best thing for each of them. I also enjoyed learning about tetrahedrons. They are fascinating structures! show less