2011 National Book Award Nominee “Salvage the Bones” by Jesmyn Ward has turned out to be the book of the summer for 2012. As one reviewer on Goodreads says, ” I feel my insides crumbling and my heart breaking and my memories reeling and I know I have read something extraordinary. Jesmyn Ward just gives us words, but words like none other has written.”
Please take a moment to listen to author Jesmyn Ward read an excerpt from this wonderfully written work. Her craft is has moved her to a literary level not commonly available in these days and times. The main character is 14 years old and the setting is in Mississippi during the time of Katrina. I would recommend this not only as suggested reading for our advance readers, faculty and staff, I would push the envelope a foot more and recommend this to be added to required reading for high school.