The Glory Wind

by Valerie Sherrard

Overview

A young boy must come to terms with the moral prejudices of his small town in rural 1950s Ontario when he befriends the daughter of a young widow who moves in next door. Gracie is unlike anyone Luke has ever met - fun, charming, imaginative and full of life. But when the townsfolk discover that her mother's past is less than completely honourable, they set out to isolate both mother and daughter. This striking new novel from Valerie Sherrard explores themes of friendship, loyalty, hypocrisy, and forgiveness.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781554559572
Publisher:	Fitzhenry & Whiteside, Limited
Publication date:	09/28/2011
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	192
File size:	504 KB
Age Range:	11 - 14 Years

About the Author

Valerie Sherrard was born in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan but now resides in New Brunswick. The acclaimed author of many picture books and young adult novels, Valerie published her first juvenile fiction novel, Tumbleweed Skies, in 2009.

Editorial Reviews

"Set on the Canadian prairie, as was Tumbleweed Skies (2009), Sherrard's latest movingly documents 11-year-old Luke's coming of age in 1946 as he comes to deeply love his new neighbor, Gracie, also 11. . . This haunting depiction of small-mindedness will leave readers wondering, as Luke comes to, about Gracie's true nature: heavenly child-or angel?"
— Kirkus starred reviews

"This latest gem from wordsmith Valerie Sherrard is a poignant and powerful tale that captures a time and place even as it gently reveals truths that are timeless and heartbreaking. Luke's voice rings clear and true as he narrates this story simply, sensitively and with the innocence of a small-town boy in 1947 who can't even make sense of his own feelings much less of all the outrage and anger that his community has chosen to direct at its newest members.

"Sherrard has filled her book with memorable characters and raises many provocative questions. She casts a light on some of the more disquieting aspects of human nature, and she doesn't provide the happy ending that might allow readers to breathe a sigh of relief. Instead, there is heartbreak and sadness and a lack of closure, as is so often the case in real life. Yet somehow Luke makes his own peace with what has happened as does the reader in this finely wrought tale that is as touching as it is unforgettable."
— Atlantic Books Today

"This is a moving story and a pivotal point in this boy's life. It brings him understanding of things that were beyond his world before and helps him to grow. A great book about character, acceptance and society."
— cdnbookworm.blogspot.com

"The Glory Wind is a charming read with plenty to ponder, highly recommended."
— The Midwest Book Review

From the Publisher

Gr 6–8—In 1946 Canada, Gracie and her mother move to a small, rural town where the girl befriends Luke, a fellow 12-year-old in need of a close friend. Gracie is open, sweet, and enthusiastic, and Luke not only gains a best friend, but also falls a little in love. But single women with children are suspect in the World War II era, and Gracie's mother is not making any friends. In fact, the townsfolk's disapproval trickles down to Gracie, making her life difficult. When a tornado strikes, Luke, Gracie's mother, and the townspeople all have a reckoning, as Gracie disappears. Sherrard has created rich descriptions of the place and its people with the narrative set up as Luke looking back on these events. Throughout the story, he learns and grows, but Gracie plops fully formed and angelic onto the scene, only to be literally lifted up at the end. Although set in a farming community, the main sense that comes across is "small town" with all the good and bad that term connotes. Themes of acceptance and forgiveness are dealt with rather heavy-handedly; the tornado shakes up the town much like Gracie's mother did earlier. The children build a Circle of Truth out of stone and use it as a place of refuge. There is even a magical black woman who helps the youngsters make sense of things. It would be a perfect Oprah book club pick, but seems rather ponderous for a children's book.—Geri Diorio, The Ridgefield Library, CT

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