ANNA’S WORLD

In 1845, 14-year-old Anna is placed with Shakers while her father regains his financial footing. Initially resentful of the restrictive ways of this industrious religious community, she comes to appreciate their kindness, isolationist attitude and pacifism. When her father finally sends for her, she finds he is manufacturing munitions for the Mexican War—upon which discovery Henry David Thoreau conveniently plays a walk-on role in Anna’s recognition of the moral dilemma of wars. Thus are morality issues and historic details often added in a heavy-handed manner that detracts from the presentation. Because for most of the story Anna sees the Shakers from an outsider’s simplified point of view, readers never get the opportunity to find out what may have motivated this vibrant, unusual group or Anna’s eventual decision about her own future. Many characters remain flat and predictable. Curiously, the authors even chose to create fictional Shaker songs rather than to use well-documented real ones. However, because books about the Shaker community are rare, this may be a useful purchase in spite of its regrettably banal flavor. (Historical fiction. 12 & up)