Pride of the Peacock

by Stephanie S. Tolan

After reading a book describing the aftermath of a nuclear war, fourteen-year-old Whitney becomes obsessed with the inevitability of the earth's destruction and finds herself more and more paralyzed by fear and depression.

185 pages, Library Binding

First published November 1, 1985

About the author

Stephanie S. Tolan's earliest memories involve books. Those that were read to her and those she read to herself, often late at night with a flashlight under the covers. She always thought there was a special magic in the little black marks on paper that could turn into whole worlds and real people. Born in Ohio and raised in Wisconsin, she wrote her first story in the fourth grade. It was thrilling to discover she could make the magic herself, and she decided then and there to be a writer.

Other ambitions came and went, but writing stayed on, and she majored in creative writing at Purdue University, then went on to a Master's Degree in English. Marriage and the sudden addition to her life of three young stepsons, and then a son, forced writing into the nooks and crannies, but she wrote poetry and plays for adults as she taught college English. In the mid-seventies, Stephanie began working in the Poets-in-the-Schools program in Pennsylvania. Her first group of students were fourth and fifth graders, and she found among them a new generation of intense readers, still using the flashlight-under-the-covers trick.

"They brought back to me that special reading joy that most adults, even the readers among us, have lost, and I wanted to try my hand at writing for those kids, so like myself at their age and yet so different."

The difference, she felt, was less in the children themselves than in the fast-changing world they lived in. Her writing for children and young adults, beginning with Grandpa -- And Me in 1978, has reflected that contemporary world.
Stephanie Tolan is also well known as an advocate for extremely bright children. She co-authored the award-winning nonfiction book, Guiding the Gifted Child, and has written many articles about the challenges gifted "asynchronous" children and adults face as they find a way to fit into their world. She lectures throughout the country to audiences of parents, educators and counselors attempting to find ways to meet the children's needs. Her experiences with these "amazing, off-the-charts" young people inspired the themes of Welcome to the Ark, a powerful novel about four brilliant young misfits in a world teetering on destruction.
Stephanie Tolan currently lives in Charlotte, NC, with her husband.

Reviews

[Emily Kestrel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I grabbed this off the dollar a bag table at the library bookstore. A young adult novel published in 1986, the book revolves around fourteen year old Whitney, who is freaking out about the possibility of nuclear war. She meets Theodora, a sculptor who has just moved to the town to escape a tragedy of her own. The two do some landscaping and, with the help of a very special peacock named Raj, they learn the importance of hope.

I thought the message was a bit too heavy-handed. By today's standards, Whitney would probably be diagnosed with a severe anxiety disorder and put on medication; it was interesting to see her issues presented as an existential dilemma instead. Overall, the story wasn't that believable. I did like the peacock, though.

[Laicy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Grabbed this for $1 at a used book store. Just a boring storyline.

[Stephanie A. · Rating 5 out of 5]

First read 7/15/07, the appealing title and memorable author's name compelled me to check it out again when I added it on here, and this time I found myself quite in love with it.

I am partial to the beginning, where she rambles on in a semi-wall-breaking way about how for all her friend knows, someone in another universe might be reading about them in a book right now. And rather than being annoyed by her neuroses about a nuclear war that is not likely to break out anytime soon, I sympathized with the way she explained how she came to be caught in this crippling fear. It was nice that although some typical 8th grade/middle child angst was acknowledged (perfect older sister, boy-obsessed friend), it was only a minimal part of the story as the real focus was on learning how to celebrate life, appreciate what's here and be hopeful about the future.

The friendship she forms with the artist who has purchased the old abandoned estate and begun to fix up is lovely and moving, even more so when we learn the reason she came to this town in the first place. It's full of descriptive writing, and it's always a treat when the splendid peacock enters the scene. A solid story that makes you think.