Ballad of Calamity Creek
By Elizabeth Friermood
Reviewed by Martha Artyomenko
This YA book is a little different than our modern YA books. When Ann’s father decides she is done with her college education after only one year of school, she seeks to achieve her dream of teaching without a degree. Traveling to the hills of Kentucky, she works among the mountaineers and teaches their children, not the fancy French and English she thought she would teach, but often more practical things.
Ms. Friermood’s books are written in a simple, straightforward way, and speak well of the historical ways of the era and differences between the different areas as well. The linguistic qualities of the different speech patterns, eating habits, and desire for learning is expressed so beautifully in this story. There is a small touch of romance mixed in the story, but the book is one that is worth re-reading as a wholesome, clean historical fiction for young people.