THE RIVER BETWEEN US

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Peck, Richard. 2003. THE RIVER BETWEEN US. New York: Dial Books. ISBN 0803727356

PLOT SUMMARY
The novel opens in 1916 with a teenage boy, Howard, telling of his road trip to visit the four people who raised his father. Upon arrival in Grand Tower, Illinois, the narrator switches to Howard’s grandmother Tilly as she recounts life as a girl during the Civil War. Tilly’s mother takes in two mysterious girls who arrive on steamboat from New Orleans. One of the girls, Delphine, dresses in fancy clothing while the other, Calinda, wears a bandana and tends to serve on Delphine raising suspicions that she is a slave. Tilly’s brother, who Delphine falls in love with, Noah is sent to war for the North. During the war, Noah fights against his father who is on the side of the South, killing his father and losing an arm himself. At the end, Howard finds out that his father was actually the son of Delphine and Noah but was given to his grandparents, Tilly and the doctor, to raise.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Peck presents everyday characters trying to get by one day at a time. They are not perfect and often are confused by which direction to turn making it very easy for the reader to relate to them despite the time difference. Peck gives justice to the period detailing the raw and uncomfortable nature of war yet using language that a young audience can understand.

From the fresh egg broken in the radiator to seal the leaks to the gruesome scene in Cairo, Peck provides his readers with impressive details of the history. Readers will enjoy the authenticity Peck’s writing brings. The historical setting dictates and drives the plot providing momentum and interest to the story.

A strong theme of life not being black and white is carried throughout the story. Characters struggle to know what side of the war they should choose. This is emphasized by Delphine who although she is part black, would be better off if the South won the war, and by Noah and his father who fight on opposite sides. Peck’s description of Delphine brings a unique New Orleans flavor to the story.

The plot is fairly complicated, so this book will best be appreciated by advanced readers. However, the complexity is necessary for the degree of mystery Peck intertwines. When the reader discovers all the fascinating details at the end, he will come to appreciate the structure of the book.

Peck provides an excerpt at the back of the novel explaining where he found his historical information. He acknowledges several people who assisted him with data collection. THE RIVER BETWEEN US will not only educate readers but take them along a captivating journey of discovery.

AWARDS AND REVIEW EXCERTP(S)
BOOKLIST: “It's a riveting story that shows racism everywhere and young people facing war, not sure what side to be on or why.”
SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: “In this thoroughly researched novel, Peck masterfully describes the female Civil War experience, the subtle and not-too-subtle ways the country was changing, and the split in loyalty that separated towns and even families. Although the book deals with some weighty themes, it is not without humor.”

CONNECTIONS
*Discuss with students their thoughts about families being split in the Civil War. Ask if they have any stories from their family they would like to share.
*Share with students nonfiction books detailing the history of gens de couleur in New Orleans
*Other books authored by Richard Peck which won Newberry awards
A YEAR DOWN YONDER. ISBN 0142300705
A LONG WAY FROM CHICAGO. ISBN 0142401102