Joanne Schwartz (1) (1960–)

Reads like a poem, a perfect poem, about a day in the life of a boy from a coal mining town. His father goes to the mines; the boy plays outside. The illustrations of the boy by the glittering sea are juxtaposed with images of the father in a dark, oppressive underground tunnel.

The story includes the boy visiting the seaside grave of his grandfather (also a coal miner). The pictures lead the reader to believe that the tunnel the father was working in may have collapsed (but the father does come home unharmed at the end of the day). The book ends with the boy revealing, quietly but dramatically, that he will one day join his father in the mines.

So I think there is a subtle message in the book that older children and adults will pick up on. I feel like the message is about recognizing the bittersweet nature of growing up in a coal mining town by the sea. On the one hand, there's beauty and simplicity and stability (at least there was in the 1950s). On the other, there's the fact that it's a dangerous profession and the boy's future is already decided for him.

I can see this book as an ode to hardworking coal mining families. At the same time the story acknowledges that it may not be what a person would choose, if they had a choice.… (lisätietoja)

The time period and the specific location are never mentioned in the text, but the illustrations subtly hint at the story's 1950s setting (which is confirmed in an end note.)

The main character's recitations of how things are and repetition of his dad's location and task foreshadow the text's closing lines: "One day, it will be my turn. / I'm a miner's son. / In my town, that's the way it goes."

The art style is not much to my taste, although I do think it works much better for depicting the sea than people. Some of the spreads of the sea are fantastic. If you want another view of it at another time of day, peek under the dust jacket.… (lisätietoja)