When Ollie’s daddy, the Reverend Everlasting Love, pulls
their travel trailer into Binder, Arkansas ,
to lead a three-day revival, Ollie knows that this town will be like all the
others her daddy drags them through—it is exactly the kind of thing Ollie has
come to expect. But on their first day, Ollie meets Jimmy Koppel, whose mother
is in jail for murdering his father. Jimmy insists that his mother is innocent
and Ollie believes him. Still, even if Ollie convinces her daddy to break his
three-day rule and stay longer, how can two thirteen-year-olds free a woman who
has signed a confession?
Ollie’s longing for a friend and her daddy’s penchant for searching
out lost souls prove to be a formidable force in this tiny community, where
everyone seems bent of judging and jailing without a trial.
Winner of two Whitney Awards, and a finalist for the Utah
Beehive Award, With a Name Like Love has already proven itself to be a winner
among adult readers, and children will appreciate the honest look at how far
one must go when they have faith in a friend.
Part mystery, part realistic fiction, the novel, which is
appropriate for middle readers and young adults, is an excellent demonstration of
giving characters a unique and compelling voice. Hilmo’s word choice adds
flavor to both the character of a traveling preacher and his family and the
people of Arkansas .
As Ollie works to solve the mystery that surrounds the murder of Jimmy’s father,
and the supposed-confession of his mother, readers can apply supporting details
to solve the case on their own, keeping in line with the Common Core Standards.
Reminiscent of Carl Lynch William’s Christmas in Heaven in
theme and story, the two novels discussed together would prove an excellent
source for the investigation of voice.
Highly Recommend.
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