Diamond Willow Review by Allison Trippe

Bibliography

Frost, Helen. 2008. Diamond Willow. New York, NY: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (USA).       ISBN 978-0-374-31776-8

Plot Summary

Diamond Willow, known to most as Willow, is an introverted twelve-year old of Athabascan and European descent. She lives with her family in a small, secluded town in Alaska. Her name comes from a natural occurrence in willow trees. When  a branch breaks off a willow tree  a beautiful diamond shaped scar is left on the trunk. Being a shy girl, Willow wishes to blend in and be left alone. Although, she wants her parents to notice she is growing up, and she wants to be treated like the young woman she is becoming. Willow helps care for her family’s team of six dogs. She learns to mush the dogs from her father, and longs for the independence to lead her own dogsled. When she musters up the courage to ask her parents if she can mush her own sled and dogs to her grandparent’s house, they hesitantly allow her. She sets out, ready to prove herself. However, little did she know this journey would lead her to discover haunting secrets of her past.

On her return trip home from visiting her grandparents, feeling confident and free, Willow commands her team of dogs to travel faster and faster. A freak and devastating accident leaves her favorite dog, Roxy, blind and useless to her parents. Willow and her best friend, Kaylie, decide to abduct the injured dog and take her somewhere safe from her parents who want to euthanize Roxy. Along the way, Willow, Kaylie, Roxy and her new teams of dogs encounter more problems. Despite their trouble, they begin to notice animals who seem to be watching and guiding them. Eventually, the girls and dogs are forced to spend the night in the harsh, sub-zero temperatures. After surviving a night on their own, a series of family secrets begin to unravel. When Willow learns about the past, and where her name really came from, she begins to understand her true identity and destiny.

Critical Analysis

Author Helen Frost presents a beautifully-written novel in verse, through several unique ways. She uses diamond-shaped poems to tell the story of Willow in first person point of view. Just as diamonds are hidden scars under the bark of willow trees, hidden messages are included in the novel and revealed in bold print. This technique appeals to the reader by helping them gain deeper insight into the thoughts and emotions of the main character. Spirits of Willow’s beloved ancestors are characters in the form of personified, forest animals. They intermittently tell background information throughout the story from their point of view and written in standard, paragraph form.

Frost writes with idiomatic and conversational language to tell an engaging narrative. She uses imagery and symbolism to build interest, and keep readers captivated. Metaphors are used frequently and effectively to enhance the imagery. Several themes emerge from Diamond Willow, strongest of which are family, friendship, and perseverance. By using these elements of poetry, Frost is able to evoke strong emotion in her readers. Readers will feel a myriad of emotions from sorrow and regret, to fear and loneliness, and finally joy and contentment.

Awards and Review Excerpts

• 2009 Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award
• 2008 Mitten Award, Michigan Library Association
• 2009 The Lion and the Unicorn Award for Excellence in North American Poetry Honor Book
• 2009 Winner of Best Books of Indiana, Children and Young Adult Book
• 2009 CCBC Choices List
• Indie Next Kids' List Great Read
• Cybils Middle Grade Fiction Finalist
• Bank Street List of Best Children's Books
• Capitol Choices Noteworthy Titles for Children and Teens

From School Library Journal: “Frost casts a subtle spell through innovative storytelling. Her poems offer pensive imagery and glimpses of character, and strong emotion. This complex and elegant novel will resonate with readers who savor powerful drama and multifaceted characters.”

From The Bulletin for Center of Children’s Books: “Frost invents an ingenious poetic form for her story that is both stable and fluid; like the diamond willow branches that she is imitating, the diamond shapes of her poems vary. . . . Frost has spun metaphoric gold out of an evocative natural landscape, and she knows just how to craft it into an elegant and moving story of a young girl's deepening understanding of the relationships she shares with those around her.”

From Booklist: “Set in a remote part of Alaska, this story in easy-to-read verse blends exciting survival adventure with a contemporary girl's discovery of family roots and secrets.”

Connections

• Utilize the discussion questions and writing ideas included at the end of the book.
• Ask students to select a scene from the book to illustrate.
• Research the animals from the book to learn about their adaptations for living in a cold climate.
• After reading Diamond Willow, pair the poem with an informational text about Rachel Scdoris, the first legally blind person to complete the Iditarod Race.
• Students can write their own poem in a certain shape, and include a hidden message in bold print.
• Students can research the Athabascan culture and learn more about their beliefs, art, language, and traditions.

Created as an assignment for a Texas Woman's University course.