by John Corey Whaley
Atheneum: New York, 2011
ISBN 978-1-4424-133-7
In Lily,
Arkansas, population 3,947, nothing much ever happens on a regular basis;
people never seem to leave town permanently. That is, until the population drops to 3946 when 17-year-old
Cullen Witter’s 15-year-old brother Gabriel disappears, without a trace,
leaving Cullen, his family, his best friend Lucas, and the town reeling. The news of Gabriel’s disappearance,
however, is soon overshadowed by the rumor that the Lazarus mockingbird woodpecker,
believed extinct, has been spotted.
But Cullen, his family, and friends haven’t forgotten Gabriel; they are
left with more questions than answers, and each struggling to cope in their own
way. For Cullen, this means
girls, including his long-time crush, and a recently divorced young woman who
has returned to town, and actively hating the Lazarus. Two stories are seamlessly and satisfyingly woven
together in this short, yet rich debut novel, filled with Biblical references,
the frustration of growing up in a small town, and the well-crafted, realistic,
anguish of inexplicable loss. This
multiple award-winning book is recommended for older teens, grades 10 and
up.
(Biblical confusion after the jump)
