Whistling Past the Graveyard

By: Susan Crandall

Narrated by: Amy Rubinate

Length: 11 hrs and 16 mins

Publisher's summary

In the summer of 1963, nine-year-old spitfire Starla Claudelle runs away from her strict grandmother's Mississippi home. Starla hasn't seen her momma since she was three - that's when Lulu left for Nashville to become a famous singer. Starla's daddy works on an oil rig in the Gulf, so Mamie, with her tsk-tsk sounds and her bitter refrain of "Lord, give me strength," is the nearest thing to family Starla has. After being put on restriction yet again for her sassy mouth, Starla is caught sneaking out for the Fourth of July parade. She fears Mamie will make good on her threat to send Starla to reform school, so Starla walks to the outskirts of town, and just keeps walking....

If she can get to Nashville and find her momma, then all that she promised will come true: Lulu will be a star. Daddy will come to live in Nashville, too. And her family will be whole and perfect. Walking a lonely country road, Starla accepts a ride from Eula, a black woman traveling alone with a white baby. The trio embarks on a road trip that will change Starla's life forever. She sees for the first time life as it really is - as she reaches for a dream of how it could one day be.

©2013 Susan Crandall (P)2013 Dreamscape Media, LLC

Critic reviews

"Starla's fiery independence makes her a likable narrator." ( Publishers Weekly)

"It's not easy to keep such a young narrator convincing for more than 300 pages.... Readers will take to Starla and be caught up in her story." ( Booklist)

"A coming-of-age story as well as a luminous portrait of courage and the bonds of friendship.... Susan Crandall tells young Starla's story with pitch-perfect tone, evoking 1963 Mississippi and its struggles with a deft hand. I laughed and cried at Starla's keen observances of life and family and the sometimes blurred edges of justice. Like Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird and Kathryn Stockett's The Help, Whistling Past the Graveyard is destined to become a classic." (Karen White, New York Times best-selling author)

So much better than I expected!

I originally purchased this book because it was on sale, but it would definitely have been worth paying full price, or using a credit.
My only struggle was with the age of the girl telling the story... 9 is very young, but I tried to put that out of my mind, and I was thankful it wasn't the "cutesy" storyline I was afraid it might be (at all) . It was an excellent story made even better by an outstanding narrator.

Great listen but not what I was expecting

If you could sum up Whistling Past the Graveyard in three words, what would they be?

Unexpected! I was expecting an "coming to age" novel. Though this is, the twist and turns that took place floored me.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Whistling Past the Graveyard?

When Starla gets in the car with Eula. From the get go I thought, oh no, but I was not expecting the chain of events that took place from that moment on.

A must read!

Don't pass this one by. It feels like a mixture of "The Help" and "The Secret Life of Bees." I had a hard time putting it down.

disappointed

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

I was really hoping for more from this book. The main character made me want to spank her and tell her to keep quiet. The writing about the times was almost like they were trying to outdo The Help. I really was disappointed, good books are supposed to encourage a reaction when you read. However I could not get involved with these characters, they just did not have enough depth.

If you’ve listened to books by Susan Crandall before, how does this one compare?

no I haven't, but one book that I do not like does not mean I won't try others.

Did Amy Rubinate do a good job differentiating all the characters? How?

Yeah she's ok.

Could you see Whistling Past the Graveyard being made into a movie or a TV series? Who should the stars be?

No

Any additional comments?

I was just let down after reading all the glowing reviews.

Feel Good meets Reality

Sometimes you need a simple "feel good" book to soothe your soul. This book isn't it. The author doesn't flinch from portraying the overt racism of the South in the early 1960s (2016?). Nevertheless, while the characters may have been a bit overly simplistic, they grab your heart and take you along on their journey. The story made it clear that every struggle to right wrongs is never really over. There are always people that are willing to crush the disenfranchised to secure their own power, BUT - there will always be people that say "NO! I will not stand by while you undermine anyone's dignity." My soul needed this book right now.

A word on the artist that recorded the audio for the book: I don't think I've ever given a 5 star rating on audio. As much as I love listening to audio books, sooner or later I am usually distracted away from the storyline by a poorly rendered character. The ONLY time that I was slightly distracted by the narration was when she mispronounced Warner Robbins, GA. Her drawl and emotive portrayal brought Starla to life.

Read/listen to the book!

Great story! Easy listening, easy to keep up with

Loved the storyline, and characters. Easy listening, couldn't put it down anticipating what would happen next would happen next.

Sweet and bittersweet

This was a lovely little story told through the character of young Starla. It was interesting to hear the perspective of a 9 year old in the 1960s South...how she perceived her world and family life. Through out, the reader realizes Starla's vision of her life and the reality of it are not the same, and you're eager to hear how it is resolved. The narrator did an outstanding job of playing different voices, very easy to listen to.

just a wonderful book!!!

loved this book .definitely the best I have listened to this year. the characters tug at your heartstrings and its hysterical at times .the memories of the sixties good and bad all came back to me and the treasures of thee days when in some ways life was simpler and sweeter. the phrases and the one liners from a 10:yr old were just precious. waiting with open ears for this authors next book of heavenly pleasure.
a book not to pass up.

Could not stop listening!

The characters caught my interest right away! The storyline was certainly intense. Great book from start to completion.

great

Greatly written from a child's perspective. I would recommend this as an easy, entertaining read