Cemetery Songs
Julie Gilbert
Grades 8-12
Polly Stone lives with her white, adoptive parents in semi-rural Minnesota. When Polly’s biological mom dies from cancer, she runs across state lines to make it to her funeral or at least visit her grave. The police find Polly and return her back home. While mourning her loss, she decides to burn her adoption papers in a pile of kindling close to her school. The fire gets out of control and burns school property. Unable to focus on school, she takes time off. Polly plans to catch up over the summer and start her senior year in the fall, but struggles to get the work done. Polly’s only solace is her volunteer work at the local archive, where she is mentored by the town’s archivist, Tasha. Tasha is Black and supportive of Polly’s Black identity. They talk about HBCUs and have conversations like this: “People are always asking if they can touch my hair.” Tasha rolls her eyes. “Same. What else?” “Well, people stare a lot when I’m with my family, although that’s more of an adoption thing.” “It's a race thing, too.” “Yeah, and sometimes strangers ask dumb questions, like where I’m from. Or they’ll tell me how exotic I look or they say, ‘So, what are you?’” Polly and Tasha work on a research project together on property that’s about to be developed. They come to discover an old cemetery in Jessam Crossing. It may be a significant and historic site as it was part of a Black settlement. Polly knows a lot more than she and Tasha can discover from the archives, but how? Polly is able to communicate with a boy who is buried in the cemetery. With his help, they piece together the tragic tale of his demise, which is related to why his spirit cannot rest. Can they help each other heal and move on? In Gilbert’s “Recommended Reading” section she cites the work of Rhonda Roorda and Rita Simon including In Their Own Voices: Transracial Adoptees Tell Their Stories and In Their Parents’ Voices: Reflections on Raising Transracial Adoptees. "
https://www.abebooks.com/Cemetery-Songs-Gilbert-Julie-Lakestone-Press/30771310417/bd
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