Book Review: Diamond Willow by Helen Frost

1.     BIBLIOGRAPHY

Frost, Helen. Diamond Willow. New York: Square Fish, 2011. ISBN: 0312603835.

2.  PLOT SUMMARY

This cunningly written novel in verse tells the story of Diamond Willow, (more often called Willow) a twelve-year-old Alaskan girl who is coming to terms with who she is through her love of her sled dogs. In the course of the story, Willow convinces her parents to let her take the dog team and sled to her grandparent’s house on her first solo trip. The trip there went so smoothly that Willow became a little too sure of herself on the return. She rounded a corner too fast and couldn’t stop in time to avoid a tree that had fallen across the path. As a result, the lead dog, Roxy, was blinded. For the remainder of the story, Diamond Willow fights to save Roxy’s life, and understand her own. Along the way, her deceased relatives, now in the forms of forest animals, try their best to help her.

3.     CRITICAL ANALYSIS

In Diamond Willow, Helen Frost does and admirable job of capturing the emotion of her heroine. Each page is a new vignette written in the shape of a diamond. Each poem has a message hidden inside of the larger poem. It is these one-sentence messages that most capture Willow’s emotions and show the reader who she is. The clever technique of telling a story within the story makes it possible for the reader to become more intimately acquainted with the heroine.

The language of the poetry is simple and easy to follow. It lends itself well to the crisp, cold world where Willow has to face her fears and her mistakes.

The cultural markers in this book are cleverly woven into the story. At each juncture of the story, Willow’s ancestors, who take the shapes of animals she encounters, support her. For example, her great-grandfather, a mouse, helps Diamond Willow take notice of the appointment for Roxy’s euthanasia. The sister of Willow’s great grandfather is another dog in the team, Cora. It is Cora that leads Willow to the place where she finally learns the full story of her name. These bits of culture and local traditions make the story not only believable, but also more intriguing.

By the end of the book, the reader will weep with Willow and laugh with Willow and rejoice with her as well.

4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

BOOKLIST: “Set in a remote part of Alaska, this story in easy-to-read verse blends exciting survival adventure with a contemporary girl’s discovery of family roots and secrets.”

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: “[Willow’s] poems offer pensive imagery and glimpses of character, and strong emotion. This complex and elegant novel will resonate with readers who savor powerful drama and multifaceted characters.”

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: “This complex and elegant novel will resonate with readers who savor powerful drama and multifaceted characters.”

5. CONNECTIONS

*Diamond Willow could easily be used to explore coming-of-age stories in conjunction with other novels in verse.

*Novels in verse that are also coming-of-age stories:

Hesse, Karen. OUT OF THE DUST. ISBN: 0590371258.

Sones, Sonya. STOP PRETENDING: WHAT HAPPENED WHEN MY BIG SISTER WENT CRAZY. ISBN: 0064462188.

Wolff, Virgina, Euwer. MAKING LEMONADE. ISBN: 0805080708.