POOR IS JUST A STARTING PLACE

The Depression has hit hard in central Kentucky’s Buck Creek, but to make matters worse, 12-year-old Artesia “Artie” Wilson’s father would rather hunt for sport than provide the family’s next meal, and her TB-ravaged mother is expecting another baby soon. She dreams of leaving the hills, becoming a teacher and forming a better relationship than her quick-to-anger father and reticent mother have. An essay contest on heritage with a cash award could be her ticket to high school and a step closer to realizing her goals. Wyatt sets the stage for a quick-fix resolution, but instead offers a realistic and satisfying ending. It’s Artie’s eagerness and compassion that win, as she wonders about her connection to her ancestors, worries about her family’s health and economic means and discovers why her seemingly affluent school rival suddenly takes an interest in finding the long-lost Wilson family buried treasure. A fine addition to the Southern literature genre. (Fiction. 11-14)