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Teen Non-Fiction
Title: ACROSS THE POND Author: Storyheart Rating:  Very Good!
Publisher: Xlibris Web Page: www2.xlibris.com/bookstore/bookdisplay.asp?bookid=53090 Reviewed by: Rod Clark | View Bio |
 
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ACROSS THE POND By Storyheart Reviewer Rod Clark Across the Pond is Storyheart’s first children’s story. Barry (no last name given), who calls himself “Storyheart” is a transplanted Britisher who met his wife online. He now lives with her and their two children in Connecticut. Previously he has published short romances on line and a book entitled Stories of the Heart. One of the challenges of the YA or young adult fiction market is to create something that adults will buy for young people, and that young people will actually read. This requires an author to engage in a kind of tightrope balancing act, giving adult purchasers and YA merchandisers the assurance that a book is reasonably wholesome and “educational,” while at the same time providing the teenage reader/purchaser with incentives to buy and consume. In the latter category, there has to be enough romance (including a little soft sex) and action (often including a little violence) to interest the young consumer—without alarming a potential parent, grandparent, aunt or uncle purchaser. In these matters, Storyheart has done a pretty good job for a new YA author in balancing these conflicting challenges—although the tilt may be slightly toward the adult purchaser. Young readers (especially girls) may enjoy the young British protagonist, Fred Squire, a young English tourist with excellent manners and a sense of British honor. Brit, the attractive teenage daughter of Fred’s host family on the American side of the Atlantic, soon refers to him as her “English knight,” a title that proves apt, as Fred defends the honor of Brit and her friends against a nasty set of local bullies. The teenage romance that evolves between Fred and Brit will also probably appeal to young female readers, along with Fred’s attempts to cope with Brit’s flirtatious friend “Angel.” Across the Pond is clearly designed for the teen romance market (Storyheart has clearly used his daughters as consultants), and boys are far less likely to pick it up, unless their mothers insist. Nevertheless, there are some elements such as the episodes where Fred stands up to the bullies, and the occasion in which Fred becomes a celebrity when he catches a valuable baseball at a ballgame that may appeal to young male readers. Storyheart is also clearly aware of the new information age that young people are exposed too, and weaves internet, email and ‘texting” elements into his narrative. If there is a weakness in the portrayal of young people, it is one shared by many YA authors, a tendency to make children sound more like little grownups than growing children. Several elements of this book may appeal to the adult purchaser on both sides of the pond. Fred Squire is a good model for how boys ought to behave toward young women—and his sense of honor has multi-generational appeal. There is also an educational dimension, as Fred compiles a large list of vocabulary words that are different in America than they are in England, and vice versa. Any American who has lived in England will appreciate the accuracy of the evolving list, and visiting teenagers crossing “The pond” in either direction will find the list instructive. All in all, Storyheart has made a polished and entertaining entry into young people’s literature with Across the Pond. Young people on both sides of the Atlantic should enjoy this book, which no doubt will be the first of many. Go Back read another review, or choose a different category. | ||||