SAVVY, by Ingrid Law

Bibliography

Law, Ingrid.  2008.  Savvy (audiobook).  Read by Lily Blau.  New York: Penguin Audio.  ISBN13: 978-0-14-314348-2

Plot Summary

Twelve year old Mississippi “Mibs” Beaumont sets out on an adventure with siblings and friends after believing that her special “savvy” will heal her comatose father.  

Critical Analysis

Everyone in Mibs’ family (with the exception of her father) has a special secret.  Whether it’s her brother’s ability to manipulate water (from swimming pools to hurricanes) or her mother’s ability to do everything perfect (even when she fails, she does so “perfectly”), Mibs cannot wait to find out what her “savvy” is, what makes her special.  This “savvy” reveals itself on each family member’s 13^th birthday, and the vast majority of the story takes place on that day and the day after.  Mibs discovers that her “savvy” is a telepathic ability which reveals itself in a very physical kind of way.  

In this low fantasy adventure, Law has created many likable characters with depth and empathy.  Mibs is a very likeable heroine with which middle school aged readers will readily identify.  She is the target of mocking girls, can be awkward and unsure of herself, and is a bit clumsy maneuvering through the first developments of a young suitor’s affections.  Law’s characters display a depth, for no one in the story is completely as they might seem.  For example, the sixteen year old Bobbi who, like many sixteen year old girls, is a bit rebellious and acts like she knows it all.  But just beneath the surface, she is more sentimental and less confident than she lets on.  These nuances of character are exhibited through Mibs’ “savvy” and thus seamlessly woven through the development of the story.  While still an imaginative tale, Law’s story is set in the real world of Kansas and Nebraska.  She paints a very dull and dismal setting which contrasts dramatically with the family’s fascinating secret.  Using creative and elegant imagery, Law illustrates how Mibs’ “savvy” changes her as she matures.  Knowing what other people think of themselves allows for insights that Mibs never dreamed of, but she also learns from this too.  For example, after seeing how broken Lester (the Bible salesman on whose bus she and her peers stowaway) has become based on the horrible treatment inflicted upon him from the women in his life, Mibs resolves never to let anyone treat her that way. Growing up is hard enough without a “savvy,” and readers will be enchanted by the distraction of this adventurous and powerful story. 

For this particular review, I listened to the audiobook version of this story contained on 8 audio compact discs .  Lily Blau did a great job narrating the story.  Using different voices for the various characters, her performance really brings these colorful characters to life.  

Awards and Review Excerpts

2009 Newbery Honor Book

• Booklist:  “Law’s storytelling is rollicking, her language imaginative, and her entire cast of whacky, yet believable characters delightful.”
• Kirkus: “Law displays both a fertile imagination…and a dab hand for likable, colorful characters.”
• School Library Journal: “With its delightful premise and lively adventure, this book will please a wide variety of audiences, not just fantasy fans.”

Connections

• Have students listen to the audiobook as they read along with the printed version to further reading development and comprehension. 
• Have students write about a “savvy” of their choice.  If they could have a “savvy”, what would it be and why?  What purpose would it serve?  How might it be problematic?

Personal Reflections

This was a highly enjoyable story!  While researching for reviews, I found that Law has written a sequel to Savvy, and I am eager to read that book as well.