When the Only Tool You Have is a Hammer

Two books that have clear messages for the reader are Scat by Carl Hiaasen and The Case of the Missing Marquess, an Enola Holmes Mystery by Nancy Springer. The former is an ecological mystery in which a group of kids collaborate and tread on the law in order to save an endangered panther cub. The later stars Sherlock Holmes's lesser known little sister who runs away from home in order to track down her missing mother and avoid being sent to finishing school.

As an adult reading these books it is tempting to find the messages heavy handed- In Scat, kids organizing against corporate forces of evil to save the wilderness. Characters who love said wilderness so much they reject all worldly possessions and societal comforts to camp out in swampland. In The Case of the Missing Marquess, women struggling under the thumb of their male relatives who hold the power, the purse strings, and the opinion that women are of small cranial capacity.

But what of this isn't true? Florida is rapidly being developed to the end of great ecological loss. The state is home to over fifty species of endangered and threatened animals and another fifty endangered plants. It is true that there are fewer than 100 Florida panthers remaining. If the situation is actually this dire, shouldn't we be hit over the head with it?

Enola Holmes is historical fiction and paints a very realistic portrait of 19th century British life. Enola is a keen detective whose discerning eyes are Springer's tool for showing the reader the distinctions between the upper and lower classes, men and women, and adults and children. The dark and blunt way in which Springer describes the wharf and seedier parts of London is reminiscent of Charles Dickens- poverty, violence, and disease are commonplace. Again, what here is unfairly depicted? Enola and her mother have no right to their own estate after the passing of her father, must wear painful and cumbersome attire, and childhood itself is a luxury afforded only the rich. This is, in fact, the perfect avenue for exposing young readers to sexism and other inequalities.

Both of these books are reminders that obvious and repetitive messages are actually accessible and clear messages for tween readers. Considering the importance of environmental issues worldwide and the persistent inequalities among people, I am grateful for these books. They will surely pique the interest of young activists and begin conversations that would otherwise give way to talking about [insert inane and trivial pop culture fad here.]

Further information on the Florida panther:
http://www.floridapanthernet.org/