Synopses & Reviews
It's 1962, and Kitty's father, who works for the government, has been assigned to an Indian reservation in Oregon. All the teachers at Kitty's new school are white; the other kids are nearly all Indian. In addition to the discomfort of being new and in the minority, Kitty faces active hostility from the other students. She sees at first hand how widespread, and how deep, race prejudice goes in the community, and even within her own mind and heart.With the passage of time, she comes to understand that different groups have their own versions of the history she has learned in school, and that the "discovery" of America took place long before the whites arrived. Friendships and allegiances, mischief, baseball, mourning, humiliation, the courage to stand up against injustice and the desperate struggle to survive a forest fire--all are woven into the compelling account of Kitty's growing season at Warm Springs. Based on the author's childhood experiences, at a time when the civil rights movement was just beginning, this is a fresh look at age-old transitions: coming of age and coming home. Includes Author's Note.
Review
"Kittys discoveries and ethical dilemmas are age-and era-appropriate, the characters affectionately portrayed, rounded individuals."--Kirkus
Synopsis
Can a white girl feel at home on an Indian reservation? Based on the authors childhood experience in the early 1960s, this debut novel centers on Kitty, whose father is a government forester at Warm Springs Reservation, Oregon. Kitty is one of only two white kids in her class, and the Indian kids are keeping their distance. With time, Kitty becomes increasingly aware of the tensions and prejudices between Indians and whites, and of the past injustice and pain still very much alive on the reservation. Time also brings friendships and opportunities to make a difference. Map, authors note, glossary, and pronunciation guide.
About the Author
Katherine Schlick Noe teaches in the Master in Teaching Program and directs the Literacy for Special Needs graduate program at Seattle University. Dr. Noe is co-author of four books on literature circles for teachers and is web master of the Literature Circles Resource Center. Something to Hold is her first novel. She lives in Seattle, WA.