Library Lad and Ladies, July 2011: It’s All About Character
Some books are driven by plot or setting, while others are character driven. These are
the characters you remember long after the final page has been read. Sometimes the
plot feels incidental, as the characters emerge in glorious, vivid detail. Some are
eccentric and charming, others are downright horrific and frightening. Either way, well
crafted characters feel very alive and make for a satisfying read. Great characters can
be found in all genres for all levels of readers. The sampling below will introduce you to
a few wonderful characters waiting to meet you!
A Long Way from Chicago by Richard Peck,1998. Grades 6 and up. Richard Peck
introduced young adults to the spunky character Grandma Dowdel in this 1999 Newbery
Honor book. In a series of short stories covering the years 1929-1942, we meet
Grandma Dowdel and her two grandchildren who come from Chicago to spend two
weeks of summer in rural Illinois. During these visits the citified grandchildren discover
their feisty and resilient grandmother will embark on extreme adventures to help some
of the town folk. Grandma Dowdel is an endearing and witty character who teaches
valuable life lessons in a very humorous way.--Jennifer Kendall
Rain Fall by Barry Eisler. 2002. John Rain is an assassin by trade, but he is
approaching his goal of saving $10Mil so he can retire. His specialty is making death
appear to be from natural cause, and for 25 years he has been the best there is. But
now his world is starting to unravel as he becomes involved with the daughter of his last
target. Struggling with his own dual nature as a Japanese American, he strives to
maintain his last surviving morals, while dealing death and getting paid very well for it.
John Rain is a character you will never forget. This is one of a series of six books.—
Normalene Zeeman
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, 1953. Set in a hedonistic, anti-intellectual America,
this intriguing tale is driven by the main character, Guy Montag. In a world where
owning books is illegal, professional firemen like Guy set fire to books. However, once
he meets the upbeat, freethinking, Clarisse McClellan, he begins to question his
profession and his society. Seduced by a contraband book, Guy slowly discovers an
insidious lie that has permeated his culture and must face a terrible choice that will get
him banned or even killed by the horrific six legged mechanical hounds who hunt
readers.—Russell Miller
Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand by Helen Simonson, 2010. This English village novel is at
once classic and fresh. A budding romance between the widowed Major and a
Pakastani shop owner scandalizes the village and the Major’s family. Each character’s
unique quirks and foibles and very real racial and class stereotypes are vividly portrayed
in this humorous, light-hearted and thought provoking tale.—Julie Pavri
Prescott’s Library Lad and Ladies are on the staff of the Prescott Public Library.