Viddler

An interview and book reading with Fran Cannon Slayton, author of When the Whistle Blows (Philomel Books/Penguin, June 2009 - middle grade/YA) a coming of age novel about a boy growing up in a 1940s Appalachian railroad town and his yearly Halloween adventures between the ages of 12 and 18 as he discovers more and more about his crotchety father, who is a member of a secret society. The video includes pictures of steam and diesel engines, a discussion of dieselization and economic changes resulting from technological changes, and other background information about the book. Excerpts of reviews by authors Richard Peck and Ellen Hopkins are included, along with other reviews by School Library Journal's Diane Chen and Elizabeth Bird.