Mod 5 A Northern Light

Donnelly, Jennifer. A Northern Light. Orlando: Harcourt, 2003. ISBN 9780152167059

Summary:

Promises, promises, promises. Sixteen year-old Mattie Gokey has made plenty of promises. She promises her dying mother that she will always take care of her father and sisters. She promises Royal Loomis that she will marry him. And she promises Grace Brown, a guest at the Glenmore hotel where she is working, that she will burn a pile of letters. Now she is stuck living in poverty, engaged to a man that may not love her for who she is, and carries around a stack of letters for a woman who has turned up dead. Using the true story of Grace Brown’s murder in the Adirondack Mountains of New York, Mattie uses her love of words and Grace Brown’s letters to discover herself, her dreams, and which promises must be kept and which ones can be broken.

Analysis:

Donnelly keeps readers captivated in this historical fiction novel by alternating between Mattie’s time spent at the Glenmore Hotel and flashbacks from the previous year until they catch up to each other. Mattie is worried about graduating from high school, passing her tests, and being accepted into college. She spends time learning vocabulary with Weaver, the only other graduating student as well as the only African American boy in the town. “Mattie's strength, courage, and love of learning mark her as a captivating heroine” according to VOYA. Donnelly weaves Mattie’s struggles around the true and tragic story of Grace Brown. Publisher’s weekly says, "The author's ability to recast the murder mystery as a cautionary tale for Mattie makes the heroine's pending decision about her future the greatest source of suspense.”

Reviews:

Booklist

"In an intelligent, colloquial voice that speaks with a writer's love of language and an observant eye, Mattie details the physical particulars of people's lives as well as deeper issues of race, class, and gender as she strains against family and societal limitations."

School Library Journal 2003

"Donnelly's characters ring true to life, and the meticulously described setting forms a vivid backdrop to this finely crafted story. An outstanding choice for historical-fiction fans, particularly those who have read Theodore Dreiser's An American Tragedy."

Awards:

Carnegie Medal Winner, United Kingdom

Los Angeles Times Book Prize Winner

Borders 2004 Original Voices Award Winner

Named a Printz Honor Book by the ALA

Awarded a De Gouden Zoen Honor, The Netherlands

Named a Top Ten Best Book for Young Adults by the ALA

Named a Best Book of 2003

Connections:

For more information about the author visit http://www.jenniferdonnelly.com/

To read more about Grace Brown and Chester Gillette visit http://www.trutv.com/library/crime/notorious_murders/classics/chester_gillette/index.html

For games and quizzes using SAT vocabulary visit http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/web_games_vocab_sat.htm

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Picture:

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