Vencil

by: Frank Shima

Published by: North Star Press of St. Cloud

Reviewed by Leslie Granier

The story of Vencil is told by Jimmie, a six-year-old boy who lives on a farm in Minnesota with his parents and older brother. It is set in the 1950s and their farm does not even have electricity. Jimmie loves the freedom of living on a farm, but he is not quite so enthusiastic about the physical labor, especially in the winter. When Uncle Vencil disappears, the family travels to the city hoping to find him. After experiencing city life for the first time, Jimmie realizes his life is not as bad as he thought. When everyone else seems to have given up on ever finding Vencil, Jimmie discovers a clue as to where Vencil may have gone and sets out to find him.

This book depicts the everyday life of a child who lives in a rural area. Stories describing long rides on the school bus and doing daily chores are prominent. It was fun seeing things from a six-year-old’s point of view. I laughed several times when he misunderstood what the adults were saying. As children do, he interpreted everything literally which led to some funny moments. Also central to this book is how close extended families were back then. The importance of helping each other and spending time together was emphasized. In today’s busy world that closeness is often lacking, with some children never getting to meet relatives who do not live nearby.

Shima does a fine job of comparing and contrasting city life and country life through the eyes of a child. The hard work and long hours on the farm were difficult. But the benefits of being able to walk by a creek and having plenty of open space made up for it. City life, although it contains many luxuries such as television and elevators, seemed so hurried. The people had no time to talk with each other and the space was much more cramped, causing the beauty to be diminished.

Vencil is a well-written book that describes the difficulties of farm life in the 1950s. Shima demonstrates that hardships can be minimized with the support of family and friends.

Armchair Interviews says: Nice story, well told.

Author’s Web site: http://www.NovelGems.com