Genre:
Historical Fiction
Interest Level:
Ages 12-14
Reading Level:
Grades 7-9
Book Theme:
Vietnam War, family conflict
Books with Similar Themes:
Eli the Good by Silas House, Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret by Judy Blume
Bibliographic Information:
Wolitzer, M. (1985). Caribou. New York: Greenwillow Books.
Plot:
The year is 1970, and twelve year-old Becca Silverman and her family are devastated when her nineteen-year-old brother Stevie is drafted to fight in the Vietnam War. Further conflict arises when Stevie decides to flee to Canada instead of fighting. Their veteran father is ashamed of his son and barely speaks to him before his departure. Their mother is caught in the middle and always seems upset. Becca is terribly sad that her brother is leaving and feels angry at both her father and her country. She wishes she had a family that was more understanding like her best friend Kate's. After Stevie leaves Becca decides to enter a school art contest to win $100. She wants to use the prize money to visit Stevie in Canada. Becca wins the contest and is selected to paint a school mural showing patriotism. Becca realizes that she doesn't feel patriotic and is torn between painting what she promised and painting what she feels in her heart.
Review:
Caribou is a lesser-known book and also an excellent one that reflects the struggles of many families during the Vietnam War. It also reflects on a number of issues relevant to all tweens in any time period including puberty, blossoming feelings for the opposite sex, questions about religion, and forming independent thought. As Becca's convictions become stronger she finds herself feeling more conflict and tension in her family as she tries to establish her independence, as many children do when developing opinions about war and politics. This book is an excellent one for any tweens who are curious about what life was like for tweens during the Vietnam War. It is also an excellent book for any tween who feels passionately about a social issue and is looking to find inspiration to stand up for his or her beliefs.
Notable Tweens Characters:
Becca Silverman- The main character of the story, Becca is twelve-year-old girl who struggles with feelings of sadness over the loss of her brother and feelings of frustration with her father's stubbornness. Becca comes from a Jewish family that only attends services during the High Holidays but still finds herself praying so that she can visit her brother. Becca and her brother are very close and she worships him. She is an excellent artist.
Kate Ruskin- Kate is Becca's best friend. The two girls tell each other everything and spend lots of time together. Kate wants to be a scientist when she grows up. Kate is an only child and being raised by her college professor parents. Her family doesn't argue and listens to them, so Becca thinks the family is perfect, but toward the end of the book Kate points out some things about her family to Becca that makes her realize that when it comes to families the grass isn't always greener on the other side.
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