The Ballad of Lucy Whipple

The Ballad of Lucy Whipple by Karen Cushman
 

1. Bibliography 

Cushman, K. (1996). The Ballad of Lucy Whipple. HarperCollins. ISBN:9780395728062

2. Plot Review 

This is the story of 12-year-old California Whipple whose mother and father were dreamers. They had a dream to settle in California. Following the death of her father, they move from the comforts of Massachusetts to a California mining town. California hates the idea of moving and hates her name, so she changes her name to Lucy. Lucy writes letters to her grandmother describing the harsh conditions in which they are living. Lucy’s mom began to set up a boarding house to feed the gold miners and give them a place to rest. Lucy loses herself in her few books that she has, while learning how to help her family survive the harsh conditions and overcome the challenges of living in an area that does not have the things, she is accustomed to. Lucy also must reevaluate what family means and who family is. 

3. Critical Review 

The author Karen Cushman has written a story from the perspective of a 12-year-old who is disgruntled about having to move with her recently widowed mother and family to California. The description of the hardships of gold mining leads the reader to an understanding of the difficulty and the determination of working for a dream. The way Cushman describes the characters in the story, she shows how when a community comes together, who is working for the same goal and facing the same challenges, they can learn to get along and take care of one another despite their differences. Cushman’s choice of words for Lucy keeps the story amusing throughout the book. The dialect and language that the author uses helps the reader understand the time of history that the story took place. The author’s description of the gold mining town also puts into perspective the harsh reality of what it would be like to live in such an undeveloped town. 

4. Review Excerpts 

School Library Journal, 08/01/1998 

Cushman's heroine is a delightful character, and the historical setting is authentically portrayed. Lucy's story, as the author points out in her end notes, is the story of many pioneer women who exhibited great strength and courage as they helped to settle the West 

Publishers Weekly, 07/08/1996 

The writing reflects her expert craftsmanship; for example, Lucy's brother Butte, dead for lack of a doctor, is eulogized thus: "He was eleven years old, could do his sums, and knew fifty words for liquor." A coming-of-age story rich with historical flavor. 

Kirkus Review, 06/15/1996 

Lucy is an irresistible teenager; her lively narration and stubborn, slightly naive self-confidence. Cushman's other characters are drawn with a broader brush, a shambling platoon of unwashed miners with hearts (and in one case, teeth) of gold. 

Notable Children’s Books in Language Arts Award: 1997 

    Connections 

1. Knowing the challenges that the Whipple family faced moving to the gold mining town. What do you think about Lucy’s mother’s decision to move to a gold mining town alone with 3 children? Discuss with a partner and write about your thoughts. Would you be willing to travel, or would you feel like Lucy? 
2. In the story, some of the characters were not treated fairly. For example, the Flagg family. Lucy befriended Annie Flagg. Do you find it easy or difficult to be friends with someone who is not easily accepted? Why? 
3. How did the character of Lucy change from the beginning to the end?  

4. Visit the following website to learn a little bit more about the California Gold Rush