Accomplished author Rosemary Wells writes her first short historical fiction chapter book for third graders and older in the book Wingwalker. Her story line is appealing because it is a slice of American life, probably not known about by our young contemporary readers, and has familiar family elements (like a peaceful, secure loving environment, but also parents losing jobs), and unfamiliar elements (the unusual way these parents work to survive their particular hard times).
Second-grader Reuben witnesses the Oklahoma Dust Bowl of 1933 first hand watching farms and crops dry up, turn to dust, and smother peoples lives. Reuben’s dad, who had been a ballroom dance instructor, loses that job when times get tough, but finds a job in another state as an airplane wingwalker. Reuben’s mom also loses her job as a cafe cook. The family sells all their furniture to buy a car and moves to Minnesota where the wingwalking job happens to be with the county fair circuit. Reuben’s mom finds work cooking for the fair performers and life settles in with Reuben and his folks living and working among a tattooed lady, a fire eater, a huge black fat man, clog dancers, the human snake man with the flexible body, and more. These all become Reuben’s family and new circle of friends.
The story has the inevitable tension of the mom not wanting the dad to walk wings, Reuben himself being very afraid of heights and afraid of perhaps losing his dad, and the dad loving the idea of being a wingwalker and even wanting to bring Reuben up with him. This title might be a good suggestion for a second or third grade parent-run book discussion group as we sometimes get asked for a recommendation. This short book speaks to fear and courage, people who are ‘different’, superstitions and whether or not bargaining with God works. This is a short, well-written adventure for the younger reader.
Posted by: Fran D.
