Frankie - Hardcover

Jones, J. Sydney

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0525675744 ISBN 13: 9780525675747

Publisher: Dutton Juvenile, 1997

Adventure, mystery, and the stirrings of first love blend together in this fast-paced novel, which brings to life a little-known episode of our history, the miners' unrest and the tragic Ludlow Massacre of 1913-1914 in southern Colorado.

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From School Library Journal:

Grade 5-9. As this fast-paced novel unfolds, readers become enmeshed in a well-written, realistic piece of historical fiction. Frankie, a mysterious stranger who claims to be a rich orphan from New York, is immediately and without reservation welcomed into Luke's family. Although Luke senses that the girl isn't what she professes to be (one of her statements about her life is a direct quote from a play that Luke and his family saw performed!) and despite the many inconsistencies in her background, he is drawn to her. Their tenuous relationship is a roller coaster of emotions, while Frankie's relationship with Luke's sister, Beth, is virtual war from the outset. Beth not only causes Luke?and readers?to question Frankie's motives, but also helps maintain the story's momentum. Frankie's adeptness at being at the center of trouble and her streetwise knowledge of such things as hopping trains will make her appeal universal. The novel takes place during a 1913-1914 coal strike in Colorado. Luke and Frankie both become involved in the violent events and in an attempt to rescue Mother Jones from imprisonment. The descriptions of these early union activities and the ensuing violence, plus the emerging women's movement, provide insight into the period, creating an excellent springboard for discussion. In the end, Frankie's identity and background remain a mystery, for she is killed in the resulting "Ludlow Massacre."?Lynda Short, The Lexington School, KY
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Kirkus Reviews:

A novel set against the backdrop of a 1913 Colorado coal miners' strike--it culminated in a massacre that left 15 women and children dead. A mysterious street child, Frankie, is full of inflated stories about her origins, but Luke, 13, can tell she's hiding something: One of her tales repeats verbatim the plot of a play he saw the year before. Luke's sister Beth is jealous of Frankie and plots to get rid of her. Luke is torn--he doesn't trust Frankie but he's also in love with her. They both become involved in the strike, and as the details of Frankie's past emerge, Luke learns some hard lessons about judgment and acceptance. The unique, expertly evoked setting and complex interplay of feelings make for an intriguing story. The narration wavers--Jones often lapses into adult tones and perspectives and some details of plotting and history are pasted on rather than woven in. When these signs of the author's hand at work recede, readers will be drawn to the mysteries of the book in the same way that Luke is drawn to Frankie. (Fiction. 10-14) -- Copyright �1997, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

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