The River Between Us - Genre 5

Bibliography

Peck, Richard. 2003. The River Between Us. New York: Dial Books. ISBN 0-8037-2735-6.

Plot Summary

Peck writes a historical novel set in the small town of Grand Tower, Illinois on the Mississippi River. The main character is Tilly Pruitt who tells the story of her family in first person to her fifteen year old family member. Two young women arrive on a steamboat from New Orleans right at the start of the Civil War. Delphine is a beautiful, young woman who appears to be traveling with her servant Calinda to St. Louis. They decide to stay in Grand Tower at Tilly's home in a spare room for a while. Peck begins the story in 1916 while a father and his three sons are on their way to visit family in Grand Tower. He backs up to 1861 to retell the story. Tilly's brother Noah falls in love with Delphine before going off to war to fight for the north. Tilly's mother can not live without her son and sends Tilly to bring him home. Tilly and Delphine find the camp in Cairo where her brother and many other soldiers are very sick with dysentery and measles. They nurse him to health. Noah goes off to battle to fight and returns without an arm. Tilly and Delphine must nurse him back to health again and return home with him. The ending of the story goes back to 1916 and is finished being told by Howard Hutchings as many family secrets are revealed.

Critical Analysis

This story begins in 1916 when World War 1 was raging in Europe and a dad and his three sons were traveling to visit family in Grand Tower, Illinois. The dad tells the story of a woman ghost who haunts where he used to live. The beginning of the story captures the readers attention in the detail of how a Model T Ford had to be started, an egg placed in the radiator, and how they had to carry a pump to fill the tires when they went flat. While the dad is visiting with a dying Aunt Delphine, Grandma Tilly tells the story of their family to the young boy. He learns about the horrible atrocities of war since Dr. Hutchings was a doctor during the Civil War and his Uncle Noah lost his arm in that war. He learns that his great Uncle actually was fighting against his own father in the Battle of Belmont. He also learns about racism and prejudice when he learns the truth about Delphine and how she was called a "quadroon" because she was a product of placage system (rich white men taking free black women as mistresses). I did not know anything about this system that took place during the nineteenth century in New Orleans. Peck gives details about the "gens de couleur". The characters are complex. The reader is treated to a surprise ending. The family has many more secrets than anyone realized. Peck did a lot of research on the Civil War, and used real towns to recreate the setting for his characters and their intriguing story. The authentic dialogue and the many facts woven in this story won me over to Historical Fiction.

Review Excerpt(s)

Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction 2004

Parents' Choice Award 2003

Best Books for Young Adults 2004

Young Reader's Choice Award 2006

Booklist 2003 (Hazel Rochman): "Peck's spare writing has never been more eloquent than in this powerful mystery in which personal secrets drive the plot and reveal the history."

Children's Literature (Susie Wilde): "The strength of the two characters and the relationship they establish transcends the horrors of war and the prejudices of gender and race, and highlight lesser known historical facts and make them real."

Children's Literature (Sharon Salluzzo): "Unforgettable characters and handsome prose make this book one you won't want to miss. "

CCBC 2004: "Family secrets are gradually revealed, like peeling layers of wallpaper."

Kirkus 2003: "Peck writes beautifully, bringing history alive through Tilly's marvelous voice and deftly handling themes of family, race, war, and history. A rich tale full of magic, mystery, and surprise. "

The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books 2003(Elizabeth Bush): "This slim but potent storyline delivers a final punch that knocks family relationships on their ear and challenges Howard--and readers--to ponder how a seemingly quaint and antiquated system of racism can reach across generations. Historical fiction fans should enter this at the top of the must-read list."

VOYA (Jing Cao): " Mixing vibrant characters, a gripping plot, and historical facts, Peck cooks a literary gumbo worthy of New Orleans' finest chefs."


Connections (grades 6 and up)

- Draw a map of the Mississippi River from New Orleans to St. Louis. Include the towns of Grand Tower, Cairo, and Carbondale. Trace the trip of the characters Delphine,Calinda, Noah, and Howard Leland Hutchings.

-Construct a timeline of the important dates in this book. Lincoln's Inauguration, The Battle of Bull Run, The Battle of Belmont. Include five events from the story on this timeline.

-At the end of the story we find out that Calinda moved to California. Write a letter from Calinda to Delphine and the Pruitts. Describe what happened to her on the journey west.

-Peck uses a lot of imagery in his words. List a few of his phrases and tell what they mean.

-study about life as a Confederate or Union Soldier.