The Darkness Under the Water by Beth Kanell

The Darkness Under the Water by Beth Kanell

Set in Vermont in the 1930s, 16 year old Molly Ballou is not only haunted by her dead sister but by the looming threat of a governmental effort to rid the state of “unfit” people. More than a lesson in American history, though, this is a story of resilience and self-discovery. Molly finds a river of strength in her friendship with Henry Laporte, an Abenaki boy, who has remained true to himself and his people. The book concludes with an author’s note about the Vermont Eugenics Project. A haunting selection for historical fiction fans.

But you will have to wait until you are in middle school or high school to read this book. If you would like to visit Beth Kanell’s website go to http://bethkanell.com/

To read about the Vermont Eugenics Project read this archived article from the Boston Globe:
http://www.bigorrin.org/archive4.htm

To learn about the Abenaki Indians you can visit:
http://www.native-languages.org/abenaki.htm


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