I was excited when I heard about this book for several reasons. First, I have enjoyed Toni's picture books and use them with my students in the library. Second, as someone who grew up in Appalachia, I love books set in the area. Third, the history of federal projects bringing electricity to the area is a favorite historical topic. There are displays about it in museums around the region and local knowledge about the Tennessee Valley Authority and tales from grandparents and great-grandparents about life before electricity was as ubiquitous as it is now have always intrigued me.
The story of Cora Mae and her determined efforts to help bring power lines and all the benefits of electricity to her neighbors and family draws the reader in and captures the feeling of life in 1937 in the rural hollers of the mountains. The division among residents about whether the Rural Electrification Act is a blessing or a burden accurately portrays how many felt at the time. The many pluses like electric lights and refrigeration are contrasted with the threat to the local ecosystem.
Cora Mae herself is not a subtle child. As her friend points out, her way of convincing people "is like a fox causing mayhem in the chicken coop." The R.E.A. is not the only change that has come to their community. The flu had recently caused the death of many, including Cora Mae's sister and grandparents. Her mother has struggled since that loss and resists any other alterations to their way of life. Can a bright and vivacious child find a way to help her family heal from their losses and also accept progress as a positive experience?
Back matter includes an author's note explaining how the idea for the story came together from several inspirational sources, information on the Pack Horse Library Project, the Frontier Nursing Service, the Rural Electrification Act, settlement schools, and plant and herbal medicine (like Cora Mae's mother uses to help the community).
This is the perfect story to hand to historical fiction readers, but would also make a great read-aloud for a class studying the 1930s or the history of the Appalachian region.
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