Wednesday why not read...Safekeeping by Karen Hesse

Radley is in Haiti when a militant group overthrows the US government.  She’s been working at an orphanage and decides to get back home to find her parents.  Once back in the US she realizes that things are very different.  Her parents are not at home and she decides to head north to find them.

This is what I would call a current dystopian.  It feels much more realistic than Hunger Games or Divergent.  It could really happen.  But for all of the realness, Safekeeping is a gentle tale.  One of survival, friendships forged, lessons learned, and hope.  Interspersed with Karen Hesse’s own haunting photos, Radley’s search leads her to more than just answers; she finds purpose.  

This book is filled with actual pictures, making it a short read, yet Karen Hesse’s lyrical writing draws the reader wonderful word pictures to add to the visual imagery.  On page 37, “Now the statue, green with age, rages as only bronze can, in cold frustration.”