Light Comes to Shadow Mountain

by Toni Buzzeo Narrated by Sandy Rustin

Overview

Cora Mae Tipton knows every inch of Shadow Mountain. In the shade of the towering trees, amidst the thickets, streams, and smokehouses, the rhythm of life around her beloved holler hasn't much changed for generations.
Until now.
For the first time, electrical power is coming to the rural communities of eastern Kentucky.
Cora knows in her heart how much good could come of it.
Electrical power means progress. Connection to the outside world. More light.
And electricity might just help make her dreams of a life beyond Shadow Mountain come true.
Cora is determined to rally her community in support of electrification. But if she has any hope of succeeding, it's going to mean convincing the one person determined to stand in her way-and opening her own heart to the truth that there are, indeed, two sides to every story.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

"Shines a nuanced light on rarely explored historical events."—Kirkus Reviews

"Full of a nuanced depiction of the Appalachian region, spirited girls who dream of greatness, and neighbors always ready to lend a hand. . . . The heart of this book will appeal to readers of such classic novels as Carol Ryrie Brink's Caddie Woodlawn."—Booklist

"With each page turn, you will fall more deeply into this time and place, with all its hard reckonings. But despite the darkness, light emerges. Your heart will be filled with it."—Kathi Appelt, Newbery Honor winner and National Book Award Finalist for The Underneath

"Cora's spirit shines so bright the pages glow. She's exactly the friend you'd want beside you when things are darkest." —Sara Pennypacker, New York Times bestselling author of Pax
 
"This book is an invitation to meet delightful characters, dwell in an enticing place, and learn about an important time in our shared history. I love books that blend darkness and light—both literally and figuratively—to tell the truth, ignite my empathy, and show me the world from a fresh perspective. This is such a book."  —Lauren Wolk, Newbery Honor–winning author of Wolf Hollow

Kirkus Reviews

2023-04-24
A young girl in a remote Appalachian community confronts resistance and dreams of the possibilities of electricity.

It’s 1937, and few rural Americans have access to electricity—in stark contrast to those in urban areas. So when 11-year-old Cora reads that it could be coming to her southeastern Kentucky home, an area settled by Scotch Irish immigrants, she sees nothing but the wonderful opportunities that this would mean: light to study by in the evenings, better schooling, and machines to help with chores. If enough people join the rural electric cooperative, electricity will come to Shadow Mountain. Not everyone shares Cora’s enthusiasm, though, especially her herbalist mother, who fears the erecting of electric poles will disrupt the flora and fauna and that this new technology will change the way of life she values. Cora, a determined and creative problem solver, works to raise money for her one-room schoolhouse to join the cooperative and to change the minds of those most resistant, and after a moment of considerable bravery during which electricity plays a role in a lifesaving event, her mother comes around. The book takes a sensitive approach that tempers the promise of progress with an appreciation of the traditions and ways of living that will be altered. Historical details about the Frontier Nursing Service and the Pack Horse Library Project add layers to the well-developed setting.

Shines a nuanced light on rarely explored historical events. (map, author’s note, notes and resources) (Historical fiction. 9-12)

Product Details

BN ID:	2940160505138
Publisher:	Recorded Books, LLC
Publication date:	12/26/2023
Edition description:	Unabridged
Age Range:	8 - 11 Years

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