Searching for David's Heart is a realistic fiction novel by Cherie Bennett. It's audience is middle school students. The reader experiences the story from the perspective of the main character, Dee Dee, a twelve year old girl from a middle class family. After the tragic death of Dee Dee's brother David she embarks on a search to find his heart.
This is a book that I have heard about for awhile but, have never made the time to read. One of the reasons I have put off reading it is that I knew it was sad. The premise of the story is that the main character's brother dies and his heart gets donated. She then goes searching for David's heart. Unlike Bridge to Terabithia, you know right from the start that someone is going to die. However, even though you are prepared for a death, the way in which David dies is almost as shocking as if you had not known he was going to die at all.
There are many similarities between this book, Bridge to Terabithia and Tuck Everlasting. Once again we have two friends, a boy and a girl, who are lonely, dealing with bullies at school, and struggling with family issues at home. The friendship between Sam and Dee Dee in this book parellels the friendships in the other books. The friendship is the thing that gets them through all of their adolescent troubles. They stand together against all foes.
Another common theme running through all three books is the loss of an important person. Granted the person who is lost in Tuck Everlasting doesn't die, can't die. But, the loss is just as complete as it would be if the person had died. There is a transformation of character in all three protagonists due to the effects of the signifigant person and the loss of that person.
Finally, there is a struggle for independence from the family unit in all three storylines. The characters are searching to find who they are and what they are capable of as individuals. For the first time in their lives they are dealing with major issues on their own. They are discovering how terrifying it can be to grow up. And at the end of each story they find a new appreciation for their family.
These themes link the three stories which are on the surface quite different. Afterall, Bridge is set in rural America in the 60's or 70's, Tuck is a fantasy set in the late 1800's and David's Heart is set in modern day suburbia. It is the timeless and universal struggles from childhood to adolescence and adulthood that link these stories and make them important to readers.
This book is definitely worth the time and the tears.
Sunday, February 25, 2007
Searching for David's Heart By: Cherie Bennett
Searching for David's Heart is a realistic fiction novel by Cherie Bennett. It's audience is middle school students. The reader experiences the story from the perspective of the main character, Dee Dee, a twelve year old girl from a middle class family. After the tragic death of Dee Dee's brother David she embarks on a search to find his heart.
This is a book that I have heard about for awhile but, have never made the time to read. One of the reasons I have put off reading it is that I knew it was sad. The premise of the story is that the main character's brother dies and his heart gets donated. She then goes searching for David's heart. Unlike Bridge to Terabithia, you know right from the start that someone is going to die. However, even though you are prepared for a death, the way in which David dies is almost as shocking as if you had not known he was going to die at all.
There are many similarities between this book, Bridge to Terabithia and Tuck Everlasting. Once again we have two friends, a boy and a girl, who are lonely, dealing with bullies at school, and struggling with family issues at home. The friendship between Sam and Dee Dee in this book parellels the friendships in the other books. The friendship is the thing that gets them through all of their adolescent troubles. They stand together against all foes.
Another common theme running through all three books is the loss of an important person. Granted the person who is lost in Tuck Everlasting doesn't die, can't die. But, the loss is just as complete as it would be if the person had died. There is a transformation of character in all three protagonists due to the effects of the signifigant person and the loss of that person.
Finally, there is a struggle for independence from the family unit in all three storylines. The characters are searching to find who they are and what they are capable of as individuals. For the first time in their lives they are dealing with major issues on their own. They are discovering how terrifying it can be to grow up. And at the end of each story they find a new appreciation for their family.
These themes link the three stories which are on the surface quite different. Afterall, Bridge is set in rural America in the 60's or 70's, Tuck is a fantasy set in the late 1800's and David's Heart is set in modern day suburbia. It is the timeless and universal struggles from childhood to adolescence and adulthood that link these stories and make them important to readers.
This book is definitely worth the time and the tears.
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1 comment:
Wow. This sounds like a powerful story. I was on the verge of tears thinking about the plot you described. I think I may have said it in class, or on my blog, but I have been very homesick lately, missing my parents and both of my brothers. Anytime anyone mentions brothers (such as on American Idol last night), immediately my mind drifts to my siblings. I'm not sure if I can read this book right now, due to my emotional state, but I have placed it on my "books to read" list.
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