The Legacy of Gloria Russell [Library Binding]

Sheri Gilbert (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 8 and up | Grade Level: 3 and up

A poignant debut novel about a boy’s struggle with the loss of his best friend—and the truth about his small town’s ostracism of a lonely stranger.

From the moment she touched Satan, my best friend Gloria Russell was never the same.

Since the sudden death of his best friend, Billy’s tiny hometown has never seemed lonelier. Gloria wasn’t like anyone else in Kelseyville. Full of curiosity and spunk, she never cared what other people thought. But the day she befriended Satan—a hermit every kid in Kelseyville is warned to avoid—something happened to Gloria. And a few months later, she was gone.

Alone, confused, and struggling to escape conflicts in his own family, Billy sets out to discover what really happened to Gloria. And guided by Gloria’s strength, he begins to understand what the truth about Satan means for himself—and his town.


From the Hardcover edition.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 6-9-Three weeks after his best friend dies of an aneurysm, 12-year-old Billy James Wilkins tries to assuage his grief by understanding Gloria's recent friendship with the town hermit and the resulting change in her. Is Josef Satan, shunned by the people in Kelseyville, MO, in some way responsible for her death? Children are warned to ignore him, and especially warned not to touch him. Spunky, curious Gloria did just that, and even befriended him. Three months later she is dead. When the hill that Satan's cabin sits on begins slipping in the rain, the men in the community refuse to help him. Billy, with his knack for fixing things, offers his aid. Together they build a wall and a friendship. When Satan's cabin is burned to the ground, Billy convinces some people to help rebuild it. In return, the nonjudgmental Satan spends time with the fatherless Billy, teaching him to carve figures in wood and to realize the strength of one's individuality, the power of community, and the need to accept others. Billy not only matures in the course of this novel, but also has a spiritual awakening, realizing that he has had the help of a hand greater than his own in fixing things. This lyrically written debut novel is reminiscent of Ruth White's novels of Appalachia.-Connie Tyrrell Burns, Mahoney Middle School, South Portland, ME
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

Gr. 4-7. "Stay clear of Satan," warn the adults in 12-year-old Billy James' small Ozarks town. They aren't referring to the biblical figure but rather to a recluse with an unfortunate eastern European last name. When Billy James' best friend, Gloria, dies not long after befriending the ostracized Satan, Billy James himself is drawn to the hermit, as much in tribute to his friend as out of morbid curiosity: Have the rumors of Satan's cursed touch been true all along? A family crisis converges with Billy James' deepening relationship with Satan--who turns out to be a talented woodcarver with the soul of a philosopher--to bring the town's prejudices to a head. It's up to Billy James to unravel the tangle of secrets and half-truths about Satan that have been allowed to fester for decades. While Gilbert's characters and situations feel a bit familiar, Billy James' grief over the loss of his friend is palpable, and young readers will admire his determination to honor the memory of the "freckle-faced girl with a crooked grin and a fierce spirit." Jennifer Mattson
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Library Binding: 224 pages
• Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers (April 13, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0375928235
• ISBN-13: 978-0375928239
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.7 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #10,373,946 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Mystical and Brilliant, July 2, 2004

By 

Susan Vaught "Writerchick" (Tennessee, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Legacy of Gloria Russell (Hardcover)

Billy James Wilkins can't forget his best friend Gloria, who died from an aneurysm, and he won't stop digging until he understands the many mysteries of her life. And there are many, indeed!

What about the younger boy who turns up in the woods, the boy with Gloria's fiery personality--and an attitude to boot? And Josef Satan, the seemingly cursed man who lives in a cabin high on an Ozark slope? Billy must search his heart and his town's troubled history for truths to help him grasp the meaning of Gloria's life and death, and to help himself heal.

This story fascinated me, from the small mysteries to the big ones. The plot kept me guessing, and the payoff was satisfying and moving. The writing was excellent, reminding me of Mark Twain with the tone, lyricism, and humor. I also loved the characters, and I could picture each one of them--especially Billy's pain-in-the-rear big brother.

I think people of any age, male or female, would enjoy this story. Highly recommended.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Fabulous book by newcomer Sheri Gilbert, July 7, 2004

By 

Debbie Federici "Debbie" (United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Legacy of Gloria Russell (Hardcover)

I couldn't begin to say enough just how much I loved this book. From the very first page, I was hooked. I *had* to keep reading to find out what happened next! This is a terrific read that will ring a chord with not only young adult readers, but adult as well.