{"product_id":"the-snow-fell-three-graves-deep-isbn-9780763663247","title":"The Snow Fell Three Graves Deep","description":"\u003cb\u003eIn powerful, vivid verse, the master behind\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Watch That Ends the Night\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cb\u003erecounts one of history’s most harrowing—and chilling—tales of survival.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn 1846, a group of emigrants bound for California face a choice: continue on their planned route or take a shortcut into the wilderness. Eighty-nine of them opt for the untested trail, a decision that plunges them into danger and desperation and, finally, the unthinkable. From extraordinary poet and novelist Allan Wolf comes a riveting retelling of the ill-fated journey of the Donner party across the Sierra Nevadas during the winter of 1846–1847. Brilliantly narrated by multiple voices, including world-weary, taunting, and all-knowing Hunger itself, this novel-in-verse examines a notorious chapter in history from various perspectives, among them caravan leaders George Donner and James Reed, Donner’s scholarly wife, two Miwok Indian guides, the Reed children, a sixteen-year-old orphan, and even a pair of oxen. Comprehensive back matter includes an author’s note, select character biographies, statistics, a time line of events, and more. Unprecedented in its detail and sweep, this haunting epic raises stirring questions about moral ambiguity, hope and resilience, and hunger of all kinds.In a stroke of brilliance, Hunger serves as a Greek chorus throughout the book. The hunger for food becomes the characters’ primary focus once the expedition goes figuratively south. But this narrative device also cleverly speaks to the many motivations of various Donner party members, including hunger for land, prestige, love, warmth and closeness to God. Although the surviving members of the group are eventually rescued, nothing is tied up with a neat and tidy bow. To his credit, Wolf does not sensationalize this story’s numerous tragedies, nor spare the reader illuminating details. \u003ci\u003eThe Snow Fell Three Graves Deep \u003c\/i\u003eis historical fiction at its very best.\u003cbr\u003e—BookPage (starred review)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWolf applies the same narrative treatment he expertly deployed in \u003ci\u003eThe Watch That Ends the Night \u003c\/i\u003e(2011) to another infamous tragedy, that of the Donner Party...Wolf stokes empathy in the reader for these most unfortunate travelers, and those whose fascination is also sparked will want to dig into the book’s back matter, which is packed with historical notes, biographies, stats, a time line, and resources on the Donner Party. Another bone-chilling, unshakable success by Wolf.\u003cbr\u003e—Booklist (starred review)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eNovelist-poet Wolf (The Watch that Ends the Night), using pacing that mimics the travelers' ratcheting plight, crafts a vivid story that humanizes the complicated episode it relates...Acknowledging the white presumptuousness of manifest destiny, Wolf honors the Miwok and their land, on which the Donner Party camped, as well as many of the tribal nations scarred by such wagon trips. Thoughtfully designed, ample white space evokes the bleakness of that interminable winter...An impressive, albeit woeful, slice of American history that older middle grade readers will sink their teeth into.\u003cbr\u003e—Shelf Awareness for Readers (starred review)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Meticulously researched, increasingly more compelling with every page, and stunningly imagined, this journey with the Donner party details the grim reality endured by eighty-plus souls from April 1846 to April 1847 during their tragic attempt to reach the west coast. The reader is drawn in, becomes a member of the party, and endures the hardships and desperation along with the struggling travelers. As we face challenges in a contentious world rife with illness, suspicion, and fear, we should look to this book to illuminate the struggle to retain our hard-won humanity.”\u003cbr\u003e—Karen Hesse, Newbery Medal–winning author of Out of the Dust\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Magnificent, apocalyptic, tender, and meticulous,\u003ci\u003e The Snow Fell Three Graves Deep\u003c\/i\u003e traverses all that it means to be human and all that it takes to survive.”\u003cbr\u003e—Gigi Amateau, author of Come August, Come Freedom\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“In a nearly athletic feat of craft and imagination, Allan Wolf guides us on a trail whose final stop is the darkest part of our own humanity. \u003ci\u003eWhat would I have done? \u003c\/i\u003ewe are forced to ask. This is a brave, important book, powerful in its effect and deep in its perception of the many faces of Hunger. An essential read for these times.”\u003cbr\u003e—David Elliott, author of Voices: The Final Hours of Joan of Arc\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAllan Wolf has truly carved out a niche for himself in the realm of the historical novel-in-verse...Even the most reluctant readers, and certainly American history students, will find this historical novel riveting. Pair this with the author’s New Found Land: Lewis and Clark’s Voyage of Discovery (Candlewick 2004).\u003cbr\u003e—School Library Connection\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThere’s plenty of scope for melodrama here, but given the reality of death by starvation, the roles of prayer, recrimination, despair, and hallucination are apt. The scheme of multiple voices allows Wolf to first establish personalities and then to follow the respective fates...End matter, ranging from Wolf’s commentary on how he approached fictionalizing this historic chapter to lists and statistics and thumbnails on Donner Party members, earns its hefty page count.\u003cbr\u003e—Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn this ambitious novel in verse about the infamous 19th-century expedition, Wolf (\u003ci\u003eThe Day the Universe Exploded My Head\u003c\/i\u003e) accomplishes the seemingly impossible: an evocative and sympathetic rendering of a horrific historical event...The rich extensive back matter (including “Native Americans and the Donner Party,” “Reality Checks,” and numerous statistics) adds historical context and factual clarity to this arresting saga.\u003cbr\u003e—Publishers Weekly Online\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis historical narrative reads like a thriller, with nature, arrogance, ignorance, and greed as the villains, and it focuses on white settlers without glorifying them...This mature corrective to cultural mythology horrifies and edifies.\u003cbr\u003e—Kirkus Reviews\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe plight of the infamous Donner Party is told in the form of short essays, prayers, and poems...Wolf provides detailed notes and historical context. The names of local tribes and the Indigenous name for the lake the families sheltered at are provided. Brief biographies of the survivors round out the notes. VERDICT A detailed account of the Donner Party’s travel and survival. A good companion title Skila Brown’s \u003ci\u003eTo Stay Alive\u003c\/i\u003e.\u003cbr\u003e—School Library Journal\u003cb\u003eAllan Wolf\u003c\/b\u003e is the author of many books for young people, including the novel \u003ci\u003eThe Watch that Ends the Night\u003c\/i\u003e, which was named one of the 50 Best Young Adult Novels of All Time by \u003ci\u003eBooklist\u003c\/i\u003e; the novel \u003ci\u003eJunius Leak and the Spiraling Vortex of Doom;\u003c\/i\u003e the nonfiction graphic novel \u003ci\u003eThe Vanishing of Lake Peigneur\u003c\/i\u003e, illustrated by Jose Pimienta; and the poetry collection \u003ci\u003eThe Gift of the Broken Teacup\u003c\/i\u003e, illustrated by Jade Orlando. His books celebrate his love of research, history, science, and poetry. He is a \u003ci\u003eLos Angeles Times\u003c\/i\u003e Book Prize finalist, a two-time winner of the North Carolina Young Adult Book Award, and a recipient of the Bank Street College Claudia Lewis Award. Allan Wolf lives in Roanoke, Virginia, with his wife, his sister, and a dog named Mo. Learn more at \u003cu\u003ewww.allanwolf.com\u003c\/u\u003e.","brand":"Candlewick","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46302754078949,"sku":"NP9780763663247","price":22.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1842\/7735\/files\/9780763663247.jpg?v=1767741565","url":"https:\/\/k12savings.com\/es\/products\/the-snow-fell-three-graves-deep-isbn-9780763663247","provider":"K12savings","version":"1.0","type":"link"}