It only takes a few hours for Turner Buckminster to start hating Phippsburg, Maine. No one in town will let him forget that he’s a minister’s son, even if he doesn’t act like one. But then he meets Lizzie Bright Griffin, a smart and sassy girl from a poor nearby island community founded by former slaves. Despite his father’s-and the town’s-disapproval of their friendship, Turner spends time with Lizzie, and it opens up a whole new world to him, filled with the mystery and wonder of Maine’s rocky coast. The two soon discover that the town elders, along with Turner’s father, want to force the people to leave Lizzie’s island so that Phippsburg can start a lucrative tourist trade there. Turner gets caught up in a spiral of disasters that alter his life-but also lead him to new levels of acceptance and maturity.
Guys, I’m dedicating this post to telling you about a fabulous, downright wonderful book I’ve come across: Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy by Gary D. Schmidt. It’s the latest book I’ve had to read for my Children’s Lit class, and boy, was I blown away. It’s nothing like anything I’m used to reading, or anything I ever CHOOSE to read, for that matter. So you can imagine my hesitation upon starting this novel. It went a little like this:
Ugh, next book for class. Ugh, not in love with the cover. Ugh, takes place in 1912?
BUT I WAS SO WRONG. SO. WRONG. This is one exception to the rule. You must not judge this book by its cover, or even its description. It’s just that beautiful. And the best thing is that it’s not outright and immediately beautiful. The beauty develops and then before you know it, you’re halfway through and it has wrapped you in its delicate layers.
These characters are promising. They’re full of life and have vivid personalities. I know I’d like to hang with Lizzie.
Don’t even get me started on the imagery of Maine and the coast. The sea breeze, the rocks, the WHALES. It’s all so quaint, so cozy, so breathtaking. I couldn’t help but want to be there, to breathe the salty air and allow it to lead me to the coast.
Still skeptical? I dare you all to read this. It’s a MUST. It will pull at your heartstrings.