A Reason to Hope

The Great Upending by Beth Kephart

Turns out that you have no idea how any story's going to end.

There’s something about Beth Kephart’s writing. Instantly she draws me in, exquisitely capturing the moment with sensory imagery. I'm right there, sitting on a windowsill, gazing at the night sky with eleven-year-old Sara Scholl and her younger brother Hawk.

Hawk kicks his bare feet. I kick mine. The air freckles up with fireflies. The trees wave their hands in the breeze.

This summer Sara is grappling with a physical condition that seriously affects her heart, a mysterious man who has taken up residence on the family farm, and the aftermath of a devastating fire.

Sara stands out among her peers. Literally. Taller than both of her parents, she is extremely thin and her feet are flat. She has a condition known as Marfan syndrome which affects the connective tissues throughout her body. Of critical concern is the possibility of an aortic rupture. A surgical procedure could save her life, but it requires the services of an expensive specialist in faraway Cleveland.

Then there's The Mister. Sarah's father refurbished an unused silo, creating a small round home which the family rents to help offset the farm’s expenses. Sixteen days after completion of the tiny round multi-storied home, a mysterious stranger arrives in an old Cadillac limo and agrees to rent the space. He silently moves about, keeping to himself. Sara and Hawk speculate on who this man is and why he moved into the silo. They refer to him as The Mister.

It's August. The land is parched, the cistern dry. Then the unthinkable happens. The hay shed and hay field catch fire. Shed and most of the hay are gone. All that remains are char and soot, banishing the family's hope for a profitable farm season.

Three totally unrelated things woven into a story of beauty and power. Kephart does it. And does it masterfully.

It’s a tale of quiet desperation and the uncertainty of life.
Somehow despite, or maybe because of a life-threatening condition and the possibility of financial ruin, there is a reason to hope.
​Hope is rain. Hope is Sara’s seed collection. Hope is a pair of red shoes.
​I love this book. Considering current world events, The Great Upending has arrived at precisely the right time.

Bonus: Kephart offers a glimpse into the world of children’s book publishing when a librarian and an author visit a publisher’s offices in New York City’s iconic Flatiron Building.

Uncorrected copy provided by publisher.

​Pub date: March 31, 2020  Publisher: Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books  ISBN: 978-1481491563