Navigating Early

Vanderpool, Clare. Navigating Early. Delacorte Press, New York, 2013. 256 pages.  Tr. $16.99 ISBN 9780385742092

Plot Description:

At the end of World War II Jack Baker’s father sends him to an all boys boarding school in Marine after his mother’s death.  Jack feels lost in a new place and still very much grieving for his mother, but finds himself drawn to another boy named Early Auden.  Early is a strange boy who rarely comes to class, refuses to believe the obvious, and sees numbers in colors and shapes.  Early is particularly fascinated with the number pi, which he reads as a great adventure story starring Pi.

When the two friends find themselves alone at school over the fall break, they take off on an adventure of their own into the wilderness of Maine in search of the great Appalachian black bear.  The boy adventure mirrors that of the story of Pi.  Along the way they encounter challenges that will test their friendship and discover a great deal about themselves and human nature. 

Review:

Clare Vanderpool’s second novel is a beautifully written adventure story.  Vanderpool’s characters are alive and believable.  The character of Early is particularly interesting.  Early is clearly an autistic savant, but in the 1940’s autism has yet to be recognized and his peers, including Jack simply find Early strange.  At first Jack has a difficult time understanding Early, but as the boys become closer, Jack starts to recognize how Early expresses emotions and why some facts are so hard for him to accept.  Jack realizes that Early might be a little bit strange, but he is a stalwart friend and an incredible person.  Both Jack and Early are grieving for what the people they have lost.  Jack is grieving for his mother and wondering if he could have prevented her death somehow.  Early is grieving for his brother who was lost in the war, or so everyone except Early believes.  By the end of the book Jack has learned that grief is a strange and overwhelming emotion that everyone experiences differently, but it is necessary to move on to the next stage in life.

Genre:

Adventure

Historical Fiction

Reading Level/Interest Level:

Grades 4-7

Similar Books:

Moon Over Manifest Clare Vanderpool

Awards/Honors:
ALA Notable Book 2014
Printz Honor Book 2014

Author’s Website:

http://www.clarevanderpool.com/