Black Dove White Raven by Elizabeth Wein

Black Dove, White Raven originally refers to Delia and Rhoda, a mixed-race pair of female barnstormers and aviation dare-devils who perform during the 1920’s in Europe and in the United States. Their children, Teo, whose father worked on Ethiopian government negotiations in Paris, and Emilia, whose father is an Italian aviator, grow up closer than many brothers and sisters.

Black Dove White Raven is the best historical fiction yet from a very talented author. In her distinctive style, Wein repeats several phrases (“we’re in the soup together”) and motifs (squeezing hands to signify courage).  She carefully lays the groundwork for this story, explaining some of the dangers of early flight, open cockpits and limited fuel range. The family moves to Africa after a fatal accident, hoping to avoid the discrimination they felt in America. Much of the story is told through flight logs and flashbacks to student essays written by Teo and Emilia for the governess of a wealthy family on a coffee cooperative in Ethiopia.

I enjoyed learning about the history of Ethiopia, even though some was troubling and sad, as I read this unique novel. Cameo appearances by actual historical figures such as Emperor Haile Selassie and aviator activist John Robinson are cleverly incorporated and help to move the plot forward. Actual events parallel many in The Adventures, a series of comic book like renderings imaginatively created by a younger Black Dove and White Raven, Teo and Emilia. Numerous twists, conflicting loyalties and the threat of war all add to a feeling of tension and suspense throughout the novel. If you have read the WWII era novels Code Name Verity or Rose Under Fire, by Wein, I am sure you are already eagerly anticipating the publication of Black Dove White Raven.  If not, you have hours and hours of excellent reading ahead -- a highly recommended journey you are sure to enjoy.  

Starred Reviews from Publishers Weekly and School Library Journal.

Where You Go Is Not Who You’ll Be by Frank Bruni

Students at New Trier have been reading a recent op-ed piece by New York Times columnist Frank Bruni called "How to Survive the College Admissions Madness." He begins with a story about Peter Hart, a New Trier grad, and that same story which involves resilience in the face of rejection appears in Bruni's recently published book, Where You Go Is Not Who You’ll Be: An Antidote to the College Admissions Mania. It's a highly readable, thought-provoking book with chapters titled "Throwing Darts," "Beyond the Comfort Zone," and "Strangled with Ivy." 

Bruni directly addresses high school students, stating “You’re going to get into a college that’s more than able to provide a superb education to anyone who insists on one and who takes firm charge of his or her time there.  But your chances of getting into the school of your dreams are slim.”  He is even more brutally honest in his comments to parents: “if you’re a parent who’s pushing your kids relentlessly and narrowly toward one of the most prized schools in the country and think that you’re doing them a favor, you’re not. You’re in all probability setting them up for heartbreak, and you’re imparting a questionable set of values.”

We have ordered multiple copies and anticipate a great deal of interest and high demand for this book which profiles many successful business and political leaders, noting that their undergraduate schools do not seem to fit a particular pattern. Bruni also reviews acceptance rate changes over time, quotes from numerous interviews and shares outcome from relevant studies.  

In his excellent review (“Gilding the Sheepskin”) of Where You Go Is Not Who You’ll Be, Daniel Askt of The Wall Street Journal says that Bruni’s work is a “useful book that misses a larger opportunity to explore what the college admissions process says about America today.”  I agree and I hope that Bruni, who is a very entertaining writer, expands upon his research. He may need to move out of his own comfort zone, however.  If you are curious, look at another new book that does talk about opportunity, social class, and inequality: Robert Putnam’s Our Kids: The American Dream in Crisis which I have reviewed elsewhere.  

By the way, Bruni’s op-ed piece mentioned above concludes by quoting a letter that parents wrote to their son, “your worth as a person, a student, and our son is not diminished or influenced in the least by what these colleges have decided.” At New Trier, we talk about the match to be made, not a prize to be won – all thoughts to share as our students face a different type of March madness.

NEW 3/30:  Frank Bruni will speak on Thursday, April 9 at 7pm at New Trier High School -- Northfield Campus, Cornog Auditorium.  This program is sponsored by FAN (Family Action Network) and promoted by The Bookstall which says, "[Bruni] speaks about his new book giving students and their parents a new perspective on the college admissions process and a path out of the anxiety it can provoke. Students and parents are encouraged to attend."

Under a Painted Sky by Stacey Lee

Under a Painted Sky by Stacey Lee is an action-packed historical fiction novel which will appeal to students in grades 7 to 10.  Set in 1849, the story revolves around two 15-year-old girls, Annamae, an ex-slave, and Samantha, a recently orphaned Chinese-American violinist. The girls flee St. Joseph, Missouri under suspicious circumstances and head for California and the West disguised as boys, Andy and Sammy.  Along the way, they meet Cay, West and Peety, three cattle driving cowboys.  This unlikely band forms a family of sorts and manages to save each other’s lives several times: drowning, bullet wounds and cholera abound on the 1840’s trails.

Historical details are carefully woven into the story of Under a Painted Sky even if some of the events seem to be unlikely coincidences. But perhaps that all relates to Sammy’s musings about fate and the Chinese zodiac? Author Stacey Lee builds suspense about whether the girls will separate even though they have learned to depend upon each other: “Andy winks at me.  Her simple gesture chases away some of the bad taste in my mouth.  Somehow, she always understands how I feel, watching out for me, not just in body, but in mind. I don’t know what I’d do without her.” As the girls face many dangers, they increasingly sacrifice for each other, grow and mature, reflecting at one point that “as the Chinese saying goes, every second spent angry is one less to spend on tranquility.” Excitement, history and romance are all found in this unique and entertaining debut novel.

Starred reviews from Kirkus, Publishers Weekly and VOYA.