Through the Door to Danger

by Shannon Teper

A week before classes start, twelve-year-old Craig wanders the empty, echoing halls of historic Shady River School, where his mother teaches. Craig is glad to stumble upon a new friend, a young African-American girl named Luceille, dressed in peculiar, old-fashioned clothes.
Discovering that Luceille can vanish as quickly as she appears, Craig follows her through the door of the custodian’s closet and into the year 1968, the first year black and white students attended Shady River together. Not everyone is happy about desegregation, and Craig is disturbed by the prejudice he witnesses on his visit to the past.
In the present, Craig smells smoke where there is no fire and burns his hand on a doorknob that turns suddenly red hot. Unearthing secrets someone at Shady River has carefully buried, Craig plunges back in time and into danger, desperate to prevent a tragic death. Trapped with Luceille in the heat and smoke of the burning school, Craig discovers that the past is more difficult to change than he ever imagined.
Available through Royal Fireworks Press at
http://www.rfwp.com/book/through-the-...

87 pages, Paperback

First published December 15, 2012

Reviews

[Harold Walters · Rating 4 out of 5]

A GoodReads Giveaway

Although this is a short novel [87 pages] for twelve year olds, its opening paragraph is worthy of a much longer book — particularly this bit of a grabber: “…it got worse when that skeleton started trying to pick up my mom.”

How could a twelve year old not rush on to read a story that begins with a skeleton hitting on some kid’s mother?

A twelve year old couldn’t, of course. Nor could I.

A younger reader would not be faulted for thinking — considering the opening — that the danger beyond the door might have something to do with skeletons in the closet into which the door opens.

The danger has nothing to do with skeletons, per se. The closet is not stogged with spooky, bony guys. Surprisingly, the closet is a Time Machine — kinda. The danger beyond the door lurks in the past, in 1968.

Craig Stanton has come to live in Shady River, his mother’s hometown. His mother has returned to help her sister tend to their ailing father and has taken a job teaching at the local Middle School where on her first day the gallant [!?] skeleton propositions her…

… but what odds about that.

Several unbelievable things happen to Craig as he wanders the school’s halls: he grabs hold of a fiery-hot doorknob; he trips over a young black girl sitting in a stairway’s shadows; from inside a janitor’s closet he opens the door into 1968 — the year racial integration began at Shady River Middle School; the year two students died because of arson.

This is a mystery story, so it’s no surprise that Craig becomes entangled in the mystery of the Time Machine closet; the mystery of the unknown black girl; the mystery of the fatal fire in 1968.

Hey, that’s the guts of the story.

The janitor — should I say custodian? — at Shady River Middle School is a skilled craftsman. When Craig meets Ron he is working on some cabinets. Impressed with Ron’s handiwork, Craig asks him about the tools he used on a fancy frame.

In his answer, Ron mentions a tool, the name of which I’ve never seen in a novel, even though I have used such a tool.

“I smoothed the edges with a spokeshave,” Ron says.

Spokeshave. There’s a word you don’t encounter a whole lot in novels, eh b’ys?

Twelve year old boys especially, enjoy this yarn. May you never have to defend your mothers from romantic skeletons.

Discovering a Time Machine closet would be awesome though.

End

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full disclosure - won this via Goodreads in an exchange for a review.

This is a great book aimed at 10 and up.. and by 'up' I really do mean it because I'm in my 20s and had to keep reading - though at 87 pages it was over so quickly! Not a proper complaint since I'm not the target audience.

It's written in a simple but engaging style, the use of first person really gets you into the feelings of the protagonist, Craig, as he travels back and forth between the current day and 1968 thanks to a timetravelling janitor's closet. For example, I just couldn't bring myself to like Mr. Vopel. Don't let the title or the cover put you off, it's not a scary book that'll keep kids awake at night but it is so suspenseful that they probably won't go to sleep until they've finished it.

Also the book covers themes such as bereavement (and dealing with possible step-parent), dementia/Alzheimer's, racism, and the specific racial segregation and attitudes of the 1960s which for a child today might seem as alien as burning women accused of witchcraft seems barbaric to us. It's not too heavy either and I think it's a great piece to use to introduce any child to these topics; obviously with the racial aspect central to the story it makes this something you could have kids read during Black History Month or as an introduction to a longer course devoted to studying the Civil Rights Movement.

[Spoiler ahead] My only teeny-tiny grievance is that we don't see Craig and Lucille reunite after the final trip in the closet. But apart from that, this book is brilliant.

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think it is a great children’s book. I teach fourth and fifth grade and I read the book with my students in mind. I also read it with the thought that I might use it as a read-aloud. I may use the book as a read-aloud in February as part of our focus on Black History. As a teacher I can see many ways I can use this book to generate discussions around Brown vs the Board of Education, civil rights and discrimination with my students. I will definitely be adding the book to my classroom library and recommending it to students. I enjoyed the way the author combined mystery and time travel to give a glimpse of what it was like to be a student during desegregation.

Craig and his mother return to the town where his mother grew up after his father dies. His mother has a new job teaching at the local middle school. While Craig is helping her move into her new classroom he meets a young African-American girl. He follows her and ends up back in time in 1968, the year the school is desegregated. He sees the bullying that is going on and learns about a tragedy that took place. As he learns more about what happens he decides that he must try to change the past.
Disclosure: I received this book as part of a Goodreads giveaway on the premise that I would review it.

[Hazel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book through a Goodreads giveaway.

Okay, I have to start off with a grumble, because I was so ready to give this book 5 stars, but I was SO disappointed with the end! I really wanted Craig to meet Luceille in his time, as the principal. we saw how things turned out for the Johnson brothers, which was great, and seeing the relationship between Craig's mother and Mr Voepel, AND we saw Mr Armstrong come full circle, but we never see Luceille and Craig meet again. Such a wasted opportunity!

Anyway, grumble aside, I absolutely loved this book on the whole. It covers issues including grief, segregation, racism, disability, family, friends... I loved it. The story was well thought out, and intriguing enough to keep me reading so I read it all in one sitting.

I really enjoyed this book, so I'm still giving it four stars... I just feel so strongly that the ending was disappointing, so I can't give it five stars.

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I won this book on Goodreads first reads.
when I received the book and saw how short it was I decided to pick it up and enjoy a quick read. I did enjoy this book but I wish there was more, with so many issues being tackled in a short time I don't feel like it was wrapped up as neatly as I would have like, but that's just me.
I loved cute little Luceille and her struggle was very raw for such a small child. I thought Craig was a bit of a brat, he did the right thing in the end and he did have good morals, but the whole Mom dating thing although truthful kinda annoyed me cause I do not think it was needed along with all the other issues.
This was a fun quick read and with the issue of racism handled so well I think I will pass this book along to the young people in my life so that they may learn a valuable lesson.

[Lise · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was given a free copy of this book to review for the Goodreads First Reads program.

This book is written on a very simple level, and is completely suitable for Elementary School students. I would particularly recommend it as a 'read aloud' because not only is it a nice look at some of the difficulties desegregation in a way which would be clear to a modern day pre-teen, it is also an interesting discussion of guilt and redemption, and a good reminder to adults that our children may very likely make some extremely bad decisions without being inherently bad people.

I found the mother-son relationship somewhat disturbing, but I think mostly because it was so at odds with my own parenting style, and in a way which lends it to opening parent-child discussions.

[Sally · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you had the chance to change the past, would you? If you could stand up for someone who needed help, would you? If you knew something was wrong, would you try to fix it?

These are the questions at the heart of this story. Though slightly underdeveloped (in my mind), the author really focuses on a topic that, even today, is important to our daily lives and is still looked over every now and then.

For a full review, please visit Phoenix's Library.

[Tina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book and then passed it to my 16 year old. He too liked the story. Very easy reading.

Great Characters and great content. It was not "scary" as you might think and it had a great story line. It combined the past and the present with an interesting turn of events at the end.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Goodreads First Reads! Thank you Goodreads and Shannon for this excellent children's book. I read it to my 10 year old who loved this story. The focus was on racism in the 1960s. The writing was appropriate for it's young target audience.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads. Thank you.

I think this is a really good book. Well written and a quick read.

[Misty · Rating 3 out of 5]

I won this book in the Goodreads giveaways. I thought it was a good book. And it would be a good book for the kids..

[Ruth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received the signed book from a Goodreads First Reads giveaway. Thank You Shannon Teper & Goodreads!

I thought it was a good book and easy to read. I enjoyed the ending.

[Cassy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book as a Goodreads winner. A good read about racism in the past and how it can still effect the present day. Presented in an exciting story for pre-teen ages.