BIBLIOGRAPHY
Cushman, Karen. 2006. THE LOUD SILENCE OF FRANCINE GREEN. New York: Clarion Books. ISBN 978-0-618-50455-8
Cushman, Karen. 2006. THE LOUD SILENCE OF FRANCINE GREEN. New York: Clarion Books. ISBN 978-0-618-50455-8
Five CDs- Unabridged
version
Read by Anaka
Shockley, adult female reader with an ability to read with a child’s voice
The sound
quality was very clear. The reader had a very pristine voice, without background
noise, or any type of static. She did an
excellent job with differentiating between characters with vocal clarity. There were no background effects on this
audio book. Any sound effects needed in the book was done by the reader.The
listening experience was very enjoyable.
The storytelling was very lively and kept the listener interested
throughout the entire story. It was easy
to discern between characters and each person’s voice was consistent throughout
the entire reading.On a whole, the audio reading and the book were both
enjoyable throughout. The author did an
excellent job of making the reader feel as though it truly was 1949, a time
when America was on edge about so many things.
PLOT SUMMARY
Francine Green is a thirteen-year-old girl
living in Hollywood in 1949. She dreams of being a movie star, attending soirees
with the dreamy Montgomery Clift, and even sees her life as scenes in a
movie. But what Francine is best at is
keeping her mouth shut and staying out of trouble. And that works until Sophie
Bowman starts school at All Saints School for Girls and Francine learns that
some people seem to stir trouble up wherever they go. Francine and Sophie
struggle with the confusion of the Cold War, Catholic indoctrination, and what
free speech really means. And above all else, In the end, the question is, does
Francine really want to be heard?
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
This book was a true delight to read. It is set in 1949, a time in America where people are suspicious and steal reeling from WWII. Francine Green is an honest character who the reader learns to love and to root for. Sophie Bowman is very much the same. The reader can see the flaws of the characters, but they remain endearing. The time period was done exceptionally well, right down to the slang the teenagers used. By no means does a modern teenager pronounce that a boy is “drooly,” but that’s what the girls said. The time period was present throughout the book, but it did not feel contrived or overdone. It was pervasive in the details, in a way that added to the feeling of the time period. Cushman provides further reading for post-war America. She also describes America during McCarthyism and proves that research was done in the making of this book.
This book was a true delight to read. It is set in 1949, a time in America where people are suspicious and steal reeling from WWII. Francine Green is an honest character who the reader learns to love and to root for. Sophie Bowman is very much the same. The reader can see the flaws of the characters, but they remain endearing. The time period was done exceptionally well, right down to the slang the teenagers used. By no means does a modern teenager pronounce that a boy is “drooly,” but that’s what the girls said. The time period was present throughout the book, but it did not feel contrived or overdone. It was pervasive in the details, in a way that added to the feeling of the time period. Cushman provides further reading for post-war America. She also describes America during McCarthyism and proves that research was done in the making of this book.
Overall, the power behind this book is not
the time period, or even the basic plot, but the overarching themes of
friendship, learning to have a voice, and to stand up for what is right. These are not themes that go away with the
passing of time. Just as in 1949,
society is quick to condemn groups of people for actions of just a few. Modern
readers will be able to connect the fear and prejudice that is found in our society
today, just as Francine describes those emotions in 1949.
REVIEW EXCERPTS
SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: “Cushman creates another introspective female character who is planted firmly in her time and who grows in courage, self-awareness, and conviction.”
BOOKLIST: “Readers will skip over unknown cultural references (My heart pounded like a Gene Krupa drum solo ) and savor the story of friends and family tensions, the sly humor, and the questions about patriotism, activism, and freedom, which bring the novel right into today's most polarizing controversies. Sure to provoke lively class discussion, this will easily absorb independent readers in search of a rich, satisfying story about early adolescence.”
CONNECTIONS
This book can bring in a lot of discussion about rights, McCarthyism, the Cold War, and so much more. Teachers or book leaders should be prepared for difficult questions and in-depth discussion.
SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: “Cushman creates another introspective female character who is planted firmly in her time and who grows in courage, self-awareness, and conviction.”
BOOKLIST: “Readers will skip over unknown cultural references (My heart pounded like a Gene Krupa drum solo ) and savor the story of friends and family tensions, the sly humor, and the questions about patriotism, activism, and freedom, which bring the novel right into today's most polarizing controversies. Sure to provoke lively class discussion, this will easily absorb independent readers in search of a rich, satisfying story about early adolescence.”
CONNECTIONS
This book can bring in a lot of discussion about rights, McCarthyism, the Cold War, and so much more. Teachers or book leaders should be prepared for difficult questions and in-depth discussion.
Other books about life in America during
the 1940s-1950s:
Levine, Ellen. CATCH A TIGER BY THE TOE. ISBN 978-0670884612
Levine, Ellen. CATCH A TIGER BY THE TOE. ISBN 978-0670884612
Klages, Ellen. THE GREEN GLASS SEA. ISBN 978-0142411490
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