Dove Dream

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

The summer of 1963 proves to be full of adventure and self-discovery for Native American Eleanor Derrysaw when she leaves her parents, who are on ``the verge of another breakup,'' to go stay with her vivacious Aunt Anna. Affectionately nicknaming her 13-year-old niece Dove and treating her more like an equal than a child, Anna keeps ``her foot always pumping the accelerator of life.'' Eleanor builds up enough self-confidence to work at the diner where Anna waits tables, to embark on an Ojibway vision quest, to research her own Irish/Chickasaw heritage and to seek out the boy whose smile ``melts her heart.'' Readers may find themselves wanting to know more about Eleanor's relationships with her parents (her father is alcoholic and her mother an invalid), her peers (little is mentioned about Eleanor's friends at home) and the late grandmother who sometimes appears in Eleanor's dreams. Anna emerges as a convincing mentor, yet the reasons for her reluctance to enter a second marriage with loyal boyfriend Troy remain unclear. Although conflicts and resolutions are dealt with only on a surface level, this first novel has its share of poetic moments and succeeds in paying tribute to Native American philosophies. Ages 10-14. (Apr.)

School Library Journal

Gr 6-8-Told in the first person, this is a satisfying, easy-to-read, coming-of-age novel set among the Chickasaw culture in rural Kansas in the summer of 1963. Eleanor ``Dove'' Derrysaw, 13, moves in with her divorced Aunt Anna while her parents try to reconcile their troubled marriage. According to Dove, ``Anna was vital, independent, courageous, her foot always pumping the accelerator of life-the exact opposite of my weak, confused parents.'' As time progresses, the girl is introduced to the world of work and romance through her observations of her aunt's relationships with her waitressing coworkers and with her beau, Troy. Dove's own experience with a first boyfriend is innocent and dulcet compared to a more explicit sexual scene described between Anna and Troy while her niece eavesdrops on the other side of the wall. The girl's Native American background is reawakened by some old family letters she discovers, leading her to explore the idea of a vision quest. Strong characterization of the narrator, with good development of Anna's supporting role, make this an enjoyable read.-Rita Soltan, Baldwin Public Library, Birmingham, MI

Hazel Rochman

Dove Derrysaw's parents are on the verge of another breakup: her Chickasaw father is an alcoholic and unemployed; her Irish Catholic mother is depressed and sickly. They've sent Dove to spend the summer of 1963 with her father's sister, Anna, who works as a waitress at a truck stop in rural Kansas. Anna is warm, sexy, brave; she's the opposite of Dove's weak, confused parents, and she helps 13-year-old Dove come of age and find love and independence. Dove goes on a vision quest, as her Chickasaw ancestors did, and she finds a connection between the natural world and her inner self. There's a welcome openness here, and no exploitation, about family sorrow and about the joy of female sexuality (Dove masturbates when she overhears Anna's passionate lovemaking in the small house, and it makes Dove feel both excited and comfortable). Less successful are the awkward plot contrivances to bring in facts about tribal history and belief: Anna not only remembers her grandmother's wise stories, but she also finds her grandmother's explanatory letters and sees her in reverential dreams. The happy ending is also too much: everyone finds love and work. However, first-novelist Rumbaut has drawn a vital mentor relationship between Dove and her unconventional aunt. Teens will recognize Dove's quest for mysticism and common sense.