Drift - Softcover

William Mayne has now published almost one hundred books for children including the Carnegie Medal winning book A Grass Rope (1957).

Grade 6 Up Superficially, this is the story of the kidnapping of a white boy by two Indian women and the attempts of an Indian girl to help him while avoiding capture herself. The language is spare, characters are sketched in with great economy, and the atmosphere is as bleak and harsh as the late winter setting. None of this description, however, conveys the great beauty and vivid imagery of Mayne's writing, nor the depth and complexity of his creation. Through parallel narratives examining the same characters and events, Rafe and Tawena reveal themselves and the gulf between their places in the world for readers to attempt to understand. It is a measure of Mayne's skill that that process is no easy one. Readers are forced to reexamine their own attitudes and biases during every step of Rafe's journey. The ending is particularly thought-provoking. Does Rafe learn from his experiences or is he able to forget them once back among his own people? How is Tawena changed by her part in the ordeal? Perhaps the only lasting effects are in the minds and hearts of readers. This is a special book, highly recommended for those who are ready for a challenge. It would be a wonderful read-aloud and a source of endless discussion for enriched and gifted classes. Barbara Hutcheson, Greater Victoria Pub . Lib . , B.C., Can
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc.