Once again, the opinionated, polemic, and verbose literary giants of A. Blair McPherson convened virtually over the break to determine the fates of two very different yet compelling novels: Echo Mountain (penned by Lauren Wolk of Wolf Hollow and Beyond the Bright Sea fame) and Land of the Cranes (written by Aida Salzar who also authored The Moon Within). Several interesting themes emerged from this spirited discussion, all of which struck at the heart of both the power and the frustration of the Smackdown: what are the best criteria upon which to rely to determine the superior book?
In-Your-Face Realism vs. Escapism
It was during this phase of the discussion where the titular inspiration came about; a number of contributors have been yearning for literature that isn't about COVID or racism or some other hopeless and fractious theme: how about a book that, for example, relies on the beauty of the prose, or does delve into idyllic descriptions unironically? Where the plot might have its share of hardship and struggle, but each of the characters offers redeeming qualities, and things are tied up in a nice little bow in the end? This was the thrust of appeal that captured a sizeable amount of our participants: Wolk is known and has been lauded for her elegant and detailed historical fiction style, and the lessons learned in her stories are valuable and applicable but don't come attached with that soul-crushing energy that a lot of recent books seem to pack.
On the other hand, many ABMers felt that "Cranes" was a book that "needed to be out in the world." With its focus on the main Latinx character Betita and her family's harrowing experience in a US detention centre, many felt the themes and topics in this book are too important to ignore. Rather than shy away from hard realities, Salazar swoops into the heart of the hurt, much like her literary motif the crane would. Almost all acknowledged that escapist literature has its place, but the fact that this story, fictionalized but based on true events and experiences, cannot and should not be ignored.
Audience Considerations
This criterion is an important one: can the books I encounter during Smackdown be read by my students? Using my own class and grade as an example (such is the privilege exercised by the blogger, haha), Grade 6, "Echo", with its complex and mature writing style and its length (350+ pages), might prove to be a struggle for my emerging and struggling reader. Further, because the book does not offer a traditional antagonist (as it did so wonderfully and frighteningly with Betty Glengarry in Wolf Hollow), even read as a read-aloud this novel may not capture the imagination or the relevancy of an upper elementary audience.
"Cranes" has its share of difficulties as well. Its hard-boiled dedication to realistic themes and situations may put this in the "inappropriate" column for even the most astute and aware junior-highers, let alone my sixth graders. With depictions of sexual assault and abhorrent restroom conditions, as an example, this novel, as presently zeitgeist-y as it might be, could prove to inspire anxiety and squeamishness that many educators may use to declare the book out of bounds.
"Prose Pose"
Someone aptly quipped that "novels in verse are IN right now." How very true. Relying on the power of poetry gives the author a sense of freedom, artistic expression, and a sort of 'breeziness' while relinquishing none of the story's topical strength. As is the case with Salzar and "Cranes", the reader will certainly feel the pain, terror, and anxiety of the characters, while enjoying the unique enjambment choices of the author. "Echo", while relying on a more, dare I say it, traditional, conventional approach, loses nothing by way of style, thematic power, or artistry. Wolk paints the main character, Ellie, with a masterful brush, elegantly and poignantly taking us through her joys and struggles as she aptly embraces Depression-era rural life, while desperately and almost fervently searching for a cure for her comatose father. The other characters are well fleshed-out and sympathetic, and the descriptions of life on an unforgiving mountain are expertly depicted. Both writers are at the top of their game, as disparate as their approaches may be.
"Que?"
Another interesting point that came up with the use of Spanish in Land of the Cranes. Some readers felt the inclusion of Spanish or Spanglish elements made it difficult to comprehend without needing a dictionary or online reference tool. While this did not seem to deter most from enjoying the book or denying the relevancy or power of the inclusion of Spanish, it was an obvious roadblock. One participant said it made them empathize with the struggle of our ELL student population, while others compared it to similar difficulties found in the previous round when reading American As Paneer Pie. Others, however, armed with prior knowledge of the Romance languages, and, to a more limited degree, exposure to Spanish-language visual media, found the bilingualism either a non-issue or enjoyable. (I for one, gave myself a high-five when I remembered that dulzura (Spanish) means dolce (Italian- thanks, childhood piano lessons!) which means sweet in English.
Miscellaneous Tidbits...and the Conclusion
Finally, would Smackdown be Smackdown without the requisite:
- accusations of gaslighting?
- declarations of surprise and shame and disappointment in one's reading peers?
- (unwittingly) muted rants?
- dreams of post-Covid, in-person jabs?
Of course it wouldn't! And it all served to drive our conversation to its inevitable (yet still debatable) conclusion: Land of the Cranes flies off to the next round, as Echo Mountain remains, solid and steady as its story may be, relegated to the dustbin of histor(ical fiction). For some die-hard fans who would consider themselves "Wolk" or "Laurenites" to the extreme, Echo Mountain may be a candidate for the Zombie pick, but perhaps it's still too early to tell. :)
