- a girl who cleans chimneys in 1800s England simultaneously almost dies and discovers a new friend…a monster-friend!
- themes include friendship, treatment of orphans, Jewish traditions, courage in adversity
- convo: mentions a woman is the “latest in a long line of conquests” of a certain man, a joke about a wedding guest kissing the bride, generally harsh realities of the life an orphan on the street (such as mentioning how tiny burned-up bodies are sometimes pulled from chimneys after a fire), a maneuver for getting a child unstuck in a chimney is called “The Devil’s Nudge,” a boy has had a lifetime goal of holding a girl’s hand (not distinctly romantic but funny), mentions witches & fairies (hypothetical), girl tells a friend the Christmas story but it’s all mixed up with Santa delivering Jesus and other confusions (most readers will know it’s incorrect), a man tries to kill a girl (doesn’t succeed), a known character dies, mentions hitting children, implies a man contemplated suicide (but doesn’t)
- language: shoddy x1, dummy x1, “thank the good Lord up in Heaven and all His angels” is said in pretend, stupid x2
- Author’s Note has neat details of how the story came about, except for his simile comparing writing to a séance (“a chance to summon up the ghosts of authors past and have a chat”). He mentions several well-known children’s stories that shaped his ideas.
- Historical Note mentions how juvenile chimney sweeps’ lives were actually worse than the book portrays, mentions kidnapping, mentions how Christians persecuted Jews, tells how the battles over child labor laws and anti-Semitism are still happening
Type: chapter book
Ages: 11+
Author: Jonathan Auxier
Auxier has seamlessly meshed historical fiction with fantasy in this page-turner. Many true elements of the Victorian Age come out in the story, such as the dangerous and thankless jobs orphaned children did every day as they cleaned chimneys for the wealthy. Charles Dickens highlighted similar situations, but his novels are less accessible (or less appropriate) to younger ages. Adding in a mythical creature softens the brutality of true history while still maintaining that truth.
What is the type of creature, you ask? I don’t think I’ll give it away! It is from a traditional Jewish fable, and the way it enters the main girl’s life is very unique. He learns how to talk, read, and do all sorts of things under Nan’s guidance.
Please Know #1: For those who find this review from a Christmas list, please know the storyline lasts several months and only part of it is Christmasy. But that chapter is great.
Please Know #2: Lest you think the below quotes portray this book as didactic, please know it has an abundance of action, suspense, and funny moments. These are just the lines I pulled out as a pre-reading mom who likes to save poignant thoughts. They could act as guides to neat conversations with your children, too. Peruse my favs:
“That’s how it works, doesn’t it? We are saved by saving others.”
“But if you’re always looking back, you might not see what’s in front of you.”
“I’ve always admired a person who can admit to not knowing something. Most people smile and nod and pretend they know everything for fear of being caught out. But those people only ensure their ignorance.”
“I suppose I am remembering Passover as a way to remind myself that the struggle for freedom is as old as time. That there are always others who yet need to be delivered.”
“Keeping alive isn’t enough. You have to live for something. You need purpose.”
“That’s what it is to care for a person… If you’re not afraid, you’re not doing it right.”
“You can’t have courage without fear, any more than you can have a ray of light without shadows… Courage is feeling fear and facing it head-on.”
In summary, I happily recommend Sweep for children old enough. Long-time readers might be surprised a contemporary author actually passed the test (ha ha), but I am genuinely looking forward to my next Auxier. Let me know if you read Sweep because of this review!