Bouwman, H.M. The Remarkable & Very True Story of Lucy and Snowcap. Tarrytown, NY: Marshall Cavendish Children, 2008. ISBN 978-0761454410 
- Reader’s Annotation: Lucy and Snowcap are very different: Lucy is a Colay, one of the native people of the island of Tathenn. Snowcap is English, and considers herself superior to any little Colay girl. But both girls are in trouble, and they’re going to have to work together to save themselves and their people.
- Plot Summary: Set in the 1770s, this story takes place on an imaginary island chain called Tathenland, off the northeastern coast of North America. The islands are populated by two groups of people: a colony of English settlers, and the island natives, known as the Colay. But the Colay are slowly dying off; a mysterious ailment has turned all of the men and boys of the tribe to stone. Lucy, a Colay girl, is desperately trying to save her brother from this terrible fate. Snowcap, an English girl and the daughter of the late governor, is trying to find out how her parents died, while also trying to avoid being poisoned by the murderous regent Sir Markham. Eventually, the two girls’ paths cross, and — though they don’t care for each other much, and seem to have little in common, beyond the fact that both have unusual birthmarks on their faces — they realize that they can help each other. And they’re going to have to, if they want to save themselves, their families, and their home.
- Critical Evaluation: A thoroughly engrossing read; Bouwman creates an exciting fantasy-adventure without sacrificing good character development. It’s written like straight historical fiction, but throws in lots of interesting twists, along with tried-and-true gothic elements like a treacherous guardian, mysterious curses, and feisty orphans. The magical aspects of the story are woven in well, and Bouwman’s writing style and dialogue hints at the time period without becoming inaccessible for younger readers.
- About the author: Heather Bouwman is a professor at the University of St. Thomas, in Minnesota, where she teaches early American literature. The Remarkable and Very True Story of Lucy and Snowcap is her first book.
- Genre: fantasy
- Curriculum Ties:American history — talk about real things it refers to, such as indentured servitude and treatment of native people, how it compares to what the period was really like, etc.
- Booktalking Ideas:
- Age Level: 10 to 14
- Challenge Issues: none apparent
- Reasons for Inclusion: I selected this book for inclusion because I enjoyed Bouwman’s unique fusion of historical setting with magical elements. She accomplished this blending of themes very successfully; in addition, I appreciated the character growth Lucy and Snowcap go through in the course of their adventures.
1) Compare Lucy and Snowcap’s backgrounds: the Colay vs. the English lifestyles
2) Focus on the magical elements — the men being turned to stone, the Gray Lady’s prophecy, etc.
3) Focus on the historical elements, the ways the story ties to real aspects of colonial American history
Challenge defense suggestions: Though no challenge issues are apparent in this title, if the book were to be challenged, begin by reading it to become familiar with the content in question. Consult the ALA’s strategies for dealing with challenges to library materials for a helpful collection of information, advice, and links to other resources. In addition, review the library’s policy on challenged materials, and look for professional reviews of the book that could help justify its inclusion in the collection, or might explain how the questionable content is valuable. Positive reviews from Booklist, Kirkus, etc., can be found at bwibooks.com
Meet in the Middle 