Kimberly Willis Holt

Gorgeous! Epic! Transporting!

One of my librarian colleagues took this book out of the running for our Mock Newbery early (back when the title was "The Dowser's Son") because of a couple lines right at the book's opening: "...he'd not been with a woman in a long time. Without thinking he said, 'Well, I reckon I could marry you.'" Out of context, I can see how this might make the book seem too mature for the Newbery age range (up to and including 14-year-olds). But I think this is a [b:Higher Power of Lucky|62151|The Higher Power of Lucky (The Hard Pan Trilogy, #1)|Susan Patron|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1399772267s/62151.jpg|60390] scrotum-esque fallacy. Adolescents are not necessarily going to read "been with a woman" as "had sex with a woman" so they won't necessarily go so far as to read that line as, "he was horny," which is how most adults would read it. Just like how kids aren't scandalized by reading the world "scrotum." Which is to say, I'm going to argue that this should totally be included in our Mock Newbery. In fact, it just jumped to the top of my list.

Now back to the actual book. I would put The Water Seeker in a class with [b:Anne of Green Gables|8127|Anne of Green Gables (Anne of Green Gables, #1)|L.M. Montgomery|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1390789015s/8127.jpg|3464264] and [b:Sarah Plain and Tall|106264|Sarah, Plain and Tall (Sarah, Plain and Tall, #1)|Patricia MacLachlan|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1327254558s/106264.jpg|2674739], i.e. excellent historical fiction about families and communities. They have drama, humor, and the fascinating details of an earlier time in history. They're beautifully written. The characters seems real enough to touch.

This story's hero is Amos Kincaid. Amos is born in 1833. His father is a beaver trapper, but he also has a special talent passed down to him from generations of Kincaids: he can find water in the ground. Amos inherits this skill, but it's a long time before he can use it.

Amos loses his mother at birth and is raised by a patchwork of communities: a minister and his wife at a mission near an Native American community, a family farm run by a widow and her six sons, traveling with his father and his new Shoshone wife, and on the Oregon Trail in a community of people seeking their fortunes out West. Along the way, the spirit of his mother follows him, almost haunting the women who come into his life.

There's so much in this story it's hard to believe it's just 300 pages. A sampling of the issues addressed: inheritance, domestic violence, racism, first love, death, what it means to be a family (or a tribe), and what it means to grow up and become a man. It's a beautiful story, filled with memorable characters, moments of joy and sadness, and a satisfying conclusion.… (altro)

FROM AMAZON: The lives of four generations of one Louisiana family, woven together by a master storyteller

Tracing a family's roots is like taking a journey through the years. In the case of one Louisiana family, that journey can be charted by the books they read and loved.

The journey begins in 1939 with Rose, who moves with her mother and siblings from rural Texas to live with their estranged grandfather in the Louisiana bayou. Rose connects with this flavorful community through her love of books and by driving a bookmobile. Two decades later, Merle Henry, Rose's son, is more passionate about trapping a mink than about reading, although there is a place in his heart for Old Yeller. In 1973, Merle Henry's daughter, Annabeth, feels torn between reading fairy tales and a crush on a real-life knight in shining armor. And in the present day, Annabeth's son, Kyle, finds himself in a bind: he hates reading, but the only summer job he can get is at the library.

In her people-smart way, Kimberly Willis Holt introduces us to a Louisiana family: touching, lyrical, and always intriguing, their stories reveal the powerful connections between four generations.… (altro)

I think I had different expectations for this book than what I was given. When I was told a post 9/11 take, I was truly expecting a tale that took place in the aftermath of 9/11. That IS a subplot for sure (a boy comes to town whose father has gone missing on that fateful Tuesday morning).....and another girl's life has been impacted by travelling that day.

However, this is more of a small town story. A story centered around a family....and of a girl searching for answers. Perhaps it is due to my NOT realizing this was a "sequel" of sorts, perhaps because I didn't know that the mystery about an individual had started in a previous book....but I found myself going "eh" throughout most of "The Ambassador of Nowhere Texas." I did not have the back story or history or the investment.

All told, this is not going to be a middle grade I gravitate towards recommending.… (altro)