"Red Kayak" by Priscilla Cummings

I chose to review this book because it is included on the 6th-8th grade list for the 2011-12 Oregon Battle of the Books (OBOB).

Red Kayak
Author: Priscilla Cummings
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Age Level: 12-15 years

SUMMARY
Brady, a 13-year-old, is grief-stricken when the young son of his new neighbors dies despite his best efforts to save him from the cold waters of a creek. His family tries to help him as he, in turn, seeks to comfort the grieving mother and deals with feeling abandoned by his best friends. Then, as discoveries are made and the details fall into place, Brady realizes that perhaps this horrible tragedy was not an accident after all. Brady faces an extremely difficult decision: Does he tell the truth even when he knows that it will forever change the lives of his family and friends?

CRITIQUE

At the beginning of this book, the author quotes Sophocles as saying, "Truth is always the strongest argument." The obvious message of this book is that one ought to do the right thing (tell the truth, in this case) even when it is difficult. As Brady's father tells him, "Doin' what's right is not always the easiest thing...it's just that sometimes, even when the right answer is smack in front of you, you got to reach deep inside yourself to act on it."

I appreciated the author's underlying worldview, particularly in an age when the moral fabric of our society appears to be unraveling. The writing style itself is average and the ending leaves a couple of story lines unresolved, but the characters are authentic and compelling.  This was a heart-wrenching story with many individuals dealing with some very difficult circumstances. Parents may want to interact with their children about some of the mature themes (see "Specific Content" below) that are addressed in this book.

Another story that discusses the themes of death and telling the truth (without the additional issues presented in this book) is On My Honor, a Newberry Honor book by Marion Dane Bauer.

RATINGS
Disrespectful/Bad Attitude: None
Frightening/Suspenseful: Mild
Profanity: Moderate
Sex: None
Substance Use: Mild
Mature Themes: Moderate
Violence: Moderate

SPECIFIC CONTENT
Frightening/Suspenseful:

-Brady finds Ben hanging from a piling, his eyes half shut and his lips blue. Brady has to perform CPR to try to revive Ben.

Profanity:
-Words used include ass, damn, stupid, shut up, hell, bastard, shit, idiot, and frickin'.

Substance Use:
-Digger smokes a cigarette and pressures his friends to join him. J.T. takes one puff, while Brady refuses.
-Several comments about Digger's father drinking too much.

Mature Themes:
-Death of toddler due to drowning and infant due to SIDS.
-Adults struggling to deal with their grief and the marital problems that ensue.
-Financial hardship and poverty.
-Young teenagers being accused of second-degree murder.

Violence:
-Several references to Digger's father getting drunk and beating up his wife. No specific details given.
-Boys punching and sparring with each other. Described as friendly fighting between friends.
-J.T. culls out dead birds from the chicken house on his farm.
-Couple of brief references to J.T. being hit by a bully at school.
-Digger wishes harm to Mr. DiAngelos. He and J.T. drill holes in the bottom of Mr. DiAngelos' kayak.