The Creek
by Jennifer L. Holm
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Book Summary Information
Author: Jennifer L. HolmEdition: Hardcover
Format: Bargain Price
Published: 2003-06-01
ISBN: N/A
Number of pages: 240
Book Reviews of The Creek
Book Review: Disappointing work
Summary: 1 Stars
This is possibly one of the most dreadful books I've recently read. I have not read Ms. Holm's Newbery Honor Book Our Only May Amelia, and, while I recognize that the book under discussion here represents a different genre for the author (horror rather than historical)I was expecting good writerly skills at least. As a teacher librarian, I am always on the look-out for scary titles for kids; however, as "scary" as some kids might find this, I would not want to put it on my school library's bookshelf. First of all, it is not clear who the intended audience is. Penny, the protagonist, is 12 (but in certain regards seems much younger than the twelve-year-olds I know), making it seem as though the book is intended for 10 to 12 year olds. The gore, however, as well as the sexual innuendo--Penny is attracted to neighborhood bad-boy and purported murderer Caleb--make the book more a young adult title. I found Penny and her friends problematic in more ways than this, however. The ongoing suggestion and, in some cases, description of animal suffering and torture were alarming. Frankly, I found it hard to believe that a 12-year-old should be so detached about the disappearance of her cat. The way the cat "re-appears" is not at all reassuring. Several times through the book, kids sit around burning ants (and, in one instance, worms) with magnifying glasses. Overall, I found Penny to be an unsympathetic and amoral creation. I didn't like her one bit, and I don't think many of the students I know would either.
I have had a chance to read one of Ms. Holm's Boston Jane books, which, though not a favorite, had its merits. This book, however, was disappointing, and frankly not something I like seeing kids waste their time on.
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