The Ballad of Lucy Whipple by: Karen Cushman

1. Bibliographic Data
Cushman, Karen. The Ballad of Lucy Whipple . New York: Clarion Books, 1996.

2. Plot Summary
The Ballad of Lucy Whipple is about a girl and her family moving West to California during the Gold Rush. Lucy lost her dad and a younger brother before they left for California, but her mom, brother, and two little sisters make the trip with her. Lucy is really unhappy about moving away from Massachusetts and her grandparents, and hates Lucky Diggins, California and all of its dirt. Throughout the book Lucy dreams about moving, and saves her money to move back East. The only thing that keeps her going is her books. The Whipples go tough a time when they lose Butte, the only boy left in the family. Lucy makes many friends while living in Lucky Diggins, but she doesn't know at the time. After long summers and winters, and a devastating fire Lucy's mom and new husband decide to move to the Sandwich Islands. Lucy makes the choice to stay behind to move back East with another family that is leaving. When it is finally time for her to go, she can't. She realizes she loves this place, and writes to her mom telling her "home is where I am loved and safe and needed. And that's Lucky Diggins". Lucy ends of living happily ever after in Lucky Diggins as the librarian at the new library.

3. Critical Analysis
Karen Cushman does an excellent job of describing the hard times during the Gold Rush in California, but keeps it interesting through Lucy Whipple's story. The story is humorous and sad at times, but is a good read for a child. Lucy Whipple is easy to identify with for children because she goes through the same things a child would go through today, like doing chores or finding new friends. The description of the setting is accurate in explaining the long winters and summers that plagued the miners during this time. The theme of the book touches on dealing with loss, moving, getting along with your parents, and making new friends, all of these being issues a child could deal with today. Cushman's style of writing is present through out the book, and the reader is exposed to how people spoke then, like the terms ma and pa, which kids don't hear often today.

4. Awards and Review Excerpt(s)
*John and Patricia Beatty Award, 1997
*ABC Children's Booksellers Choices Awards, 1997
*Lots of interesting characters and descriptions of the hard life facing the miners and others whose livelihoods are part of the gold fever make for an amusing and informative look at California and the struggles of one girl to find herself and a place to call home."

5. Connections
*Lucy often discusses some of her favorite books, ask the children what some of their favorite books are. Have them write down the books they would like to take with them if they had to move away to a place with no library.
*Ask the children questions about the time period, and use the small history lesson at the back of the book to explain to them what the time were really like.
*Have the children draw a picture of what they envision Lucky Diggins to look like.

"The Ballad of Lucy Whipple." Childrens Literature . ezproxy.twu.edu:2245/cgi-bin/member/search/f?./temp/~dHoznf:2 (accessed November 11, 2010).