Reviewer: Lori Graham
Title: Whisper Upon the Water
Author: Connie Vines
Publisher: Hard Shell Word Factory
ISBN: 0-75990-184-8
Release Date: July 2001
Genre/Sub-genre: Historical Young Adult
Year/Setting: 1868-1892
Overall rating: 4.0
Sexual content rating: None
Language (profanity) rating: None
Violence Rating: None (except one mild reference to the deaths in her village)
Connie's Website: connievines.romance-central.com
Tanayia is a young Native American girl who is on the edge of her adult life. Her village in Apacheria is thriving and loving. She is finding her life couldn’t get much better as they celebrate, as a village, her transition to adulthood and she awaits her intended’s arrival home. Unfortunately, Tanayia doesn’t realize that her day which started out so full of promise will end a totally different way.
After the battle, Tanayia finds herself in a boarding school run by the government to educate Indians where her name has now been changed to Tay. Children from all Indian tribes are brought there to be educated – with girls on one side of the compound and boys on the other. Tanayia is all that is left of her clan so she finds herself with enemy Indian tribes as well as the white man – and she only understands a very small portion of what is being said around her or what is happening.
The Apache (or Nde) pride helps her to stand strong as she is confronted with nuns who are less than kind and the feelings of isolation. It also helps her to realize her life has changed and the new question is what to do next with her life.
Connie Vines has created a very interesting diorama with Whisper Upon the Water. The characterization of the people involved is well written. The reader feels like they get a fairly good understanding of each of the nuns and the boy from the other side of the wall. But even more you see life from the perspective of the girls who are figuring out how to overcome their entire lives being changed.
Whisper Upon the Water creates an interesting dynamic for me as a reviewer, however. The book is extremely well written – almost like a diary so you get a feel of what is happening within Tay’s mind. I believe this would be an outstanding book to give a class on English literature for young girls (I don’t see boys enjoying reading this book except for the battle portion in the beginning which is very brief). I think there are a number of discussion questions which could be created around this story and lead to some interaction.
The down side, however, is I don’t believe this is a book young girls would pick up and just read on their own. I had a middle school age girl read some portions and while she understood the words and even the context it was written to, it was a struggle for her. On the flip side I had a high school girl review the same portions and it was found to be a bit simplistic. I truly believe the story line is a really good one and could be used for a middle school study group or book club to expand some minds.
As an adult, I would like to make a suggestion to Connie. The story line is wonderful – poignant, charming, emotional on all levels. I would love to see it reworked on an adult scale and focus on the period between the last chapter and the epilogue. Connie’s method of writing is very raw and real. As an adult, I could easily see this story going into even greater depth. Just my .02 cents worth. 
As a parent, though, if you are looking for a way for some mothers and daughters to connect over the summer, this could be a good book to do a summer book club. It doesn’t take a lot of time to read and could lead to some interesting discussions. You never know what you would find out about your child and her friends.
Lori
Question or comment regarding the review or the book? Click here and let Lori know.
Please Note: There is a student activity book and Teacher edition available for the classroom.
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