Mockingbird

Erskine, K. (2010). Mockingbird. Puffin Books. 256 pages. ISBN 9780142417751

Primary genre: realistic fiction

Other elements: family, friendship, loss

Intended reader age: 10 and up

Synopsis:

Ten-year-old Caitlin has always been able to rely on her older brother, Devon, to understand a world that is not always as clear-cut as she would like. The unfortunate shooting at the local middle school took from Caitlin the one person that understood her best. Discussions with her school counselor, Mrs. Brook, and interactions with her father lead Caitlin to the realization that closure is something that both her and her father need. 

Review:

I think Erskine did a fantastic job of getting readers into the head of Caitlin and introducing them to the thought processes of a child with Asperger’s syndrome. I understand that she was able to pull from her experiences with her daughter and this is what inspired the main character. I think this perspective becomes especially noteworthy when taken in the context of the situation the family and town is facing. It was the progression of the story that really caught my attention. Readers start out with the knowledge that Caitlin’s brother recently passed away. Then as we get know Caitlin we learn the circumstances of what transpired. The journey that Caitlin goes through on her quest for closure is reflected in the story. It is all very inward facing at first, we only have Caitlin’s thoughts and views to guide us at the beginning. But as she becomes more empathetic we get a broader look at what happened and how it is affecting other people.

The original cover, which I prefer. 

Later in the story we learn that there were three people killed in the middle school shooting. Caitlin becomes friends with the son of the teacher victim, but the third victim was not really mentioned. Devon posed as an interesting character for me, even though he is not physically present in the story he is referenced quite a bit. He is presented as a very giving, patient person; he was always there to help his sister and he was dedicated to his Eagle Scout troop. As the story progressed, and we learned more about the characters, it would have been nice to learn some of his flaws. Through the story he comes off too good and too giving. The only instance I can recall him being upset was when he yelled at Caitlin about the passing of their mother.

This story did bring to mind, for me, Rules by Cynthia Lord. The older sibling attempting to help their younger sibling learn how to navigate a world that they do not always understand.