Stealing Mt. Rushmore

July 1, 2020

Gr 3-6-Nellie's life is upended during the summer of 1974. Her mother has run off with the money her family had saved to visit Mt. Rushmore, and her devastated father is distracted by the political upheaval caused by President Nixon's looming impeachment. His behavior is increasingly violent and despondent. Nellie finds comfort and safety in her daily horoscope and "Nancy Drew" mysteries. She devises several creative plans with her friend Maya to raise the money herself, hoping the trip to South Dakota will reunite her splintered family. Inspired by the women's liberation movement, she begins to question her role in her home and her agency in her family. The author presumes a certain amount of knowledge about the politics of the 1970s and uses terminology that might be lost on younger readers, such as "commies" and "subpoena." The author's note at the end provides helpful historical and contextual information, but arrives too late. Furthermore, the narrative introduces several topics without providing opportunities for Nellie to work through and understand them in a meaningful and developmentally appropriate way: racism, body image, marital conflict, and alcohol-fueled physical violence, to name a few. This book includes some mild language. VERDICT A family drama that attempts to navigate the complexities of politics, change, and disappointment, but unfortunately misses the mark with poor execution and character development.-Katherine Hickey, Metropolitan Lib. Syst., Oklahoma City

Copyright 2020 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 6, 2020
Set against the backdrop of the Nixon Watergate scandal, this leisurely work of historical fiction follows a working-class family weathering the summer heat and navigating a new reality in 1974 Boston. Twelve-year-old, horoscope-obsessed Taurus Susan B. Anthony, aka Nellie, lives with her father, a short-order cook who struggles to support Nellie and her three brothers—all named after Mt. Rushmore presidents—since his wife left five months previously. After discovering that she also took the $500 meant for the family’s summer trip to Mt. Rushmore, Nellie’s dad angrily retreats, leaving her to run the house. The girl decides to raise the money herself, even if it means selling her mom’s belongings. But despite rescuing a cheerful dog from an abusive owner, Nellie’s summer seems destined for losses social and familial, including any hope of her mother’s return. Nellie is a likable main character, laudably kind to her sensitive younger brother and loyal to her family, but a languishing pace further slowed by sprinkled-in cultural references may deter young readers. Ages 8–12.