Whistling Past the Graveyard in Around the World in 80 Books

Jul 14, 2023 Jen Pratt rated it it was amazing

Wow, what a fantastic book! Starla is a precocious 9 year old who runs away, hoping to find her mom. She encounters some crazy obstacles and adventures and meets some terrifying and endearing characters. It takes place in the early 1960s in the south, so race relations add a major theme in the book. There are some tough subjects, like abuse and how to handle children born out of wedlock to young mothers, the Jim Crow laws and the unkindness because of racism. I really enjoyed this book, because ...more

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Jan 21, 2016 alana rated it liked it

Shelves: audiobook, southernlit

Meh, twas okay. Southern lit in the sense it's set in the South (Mississippi and Tennessee in the early 60s) not that the author is Southern. The story focuses on the sweet, sentimental relationship between a rebellious, naive young white girl from a broken home and a maternal, much abused, and incredibly giving black woman with family issues of her own. While the hurdles of the book stem from the social unrest and racism of the time, I was ultimately frustrated by all the super bad men. The fir ...more

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Jan 10, 2014 Susan rated it really liked it

One of those books you can't wait to pick up and keep on reading, leave the dishes in the sink, mute the TV, and enjoy. A lot of wisdom (and trouble)in this story comes from the main character, 9 yr old Starla, growing up in the South in 1963. ...more

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Nov 04, 2013 Lori rated it really liked it

Shelves: book-club, historical-fiction

I enjoyed this book from start to finish. Crandall's characters came alive on the page through their actions and dialogue, especially the two main characters - Eula and Starla. Her storytelling was top-notch as well. When I wasn't reading this book I sure wanted to be. In fact, there were a few late nights and sleepy mornings because I didn't want to put it down. ...more

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