The things I love most about young adult novels are their simplicity, being straight to the point, and they warm readers’ hearts.
I was thinking of the movie when I picked up Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbit at Book Sale (for P10). It stars my favorite Alexis Bledel of the TV series Gilmore Girls.
It is brave for the author to introduce the idea of living forever to young adults. Death is a difficult subject to discuss with kids and so is immortality. The Tucks (Angus, Mae, Miles, & Jesse) were just doing fine until Winnie came to their lives. Winnie found Miles (or the other way around) while the latter is drinking from the “spring of life.” Mae and Jesse arrived and they just had to take Winnie away to their home. They explained how they all got to be hundred years old and never aged. They concluded that they got the gift/curse of immortality to that spring in the woods just near Winnie’s home. And they just had to keep it a secret.
Apparently, fountain of youth is not a good idea. Living forever may be appealing at first but the consequences are just too daunting.
Winnie’s short stay at the Tucks was enough for her to consider them her friends. They were all concerned of her welfare and happy to be of service to her. Everything seems to be going all right when the man in the yellow suit tried to blackmail Winnie’s family and the Tucks.
The last part is a real page-turner. Even bookworms can feel the excitement and wanting to know what happened.
It’s both an uplifting and sad story. It’s for kids yes, but adults will enjoy, and hopefully learn, something from it too. I know I love a book when I kiss it as soon as I turn the last page.
