Judy K. Polhemus 2009-12-17
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:
Many years ago an airplane crashed in the Potomac River. One particular passenger became a national hero and was dubbed "The Man in the Water," for in giving his place of rescue to others, he developed hypothermia and slipped into the deathly throes of the frigid water. His body was never found. We will never forget that man.
Such selfless sacrifice and heroic effort animate one of the characters in "Night of the Howling dogs." A major, but understated, message of this young adult novel is that the heroic lives in each of us, just waiting for the opportunity to be born, at least that's the message I take from it.
But first, let's look at two prongs of back story. First, Author Graham Salisbury lives in Hawaii and often sets his novels there. This particular novel is based on a true event which happened to his cousin, who becomes the narrator of the novel. On November 29, 1975, a troop of Boy Scouts and their leaders went camping at Halape, a remote beach campground on the southern bank of the Kilauea volcano. An earthquake, measuring 7.2, hits the area during night, followed by a 300-foot tsunami that raised the sea level by 50 feet. Not everyone in the group survived.
The second prong is the honor bestowed on "Night of the Howling Dogs" by its placement on a list of 15 books in the annual Young Readers' Choice Award 2010 in Louisiana. Every year the Center for the Book, administered by the State Library of each state, compiles a list of 15 books with the goal of children in each state to read at least three books from the list. Reading three qualifies them to vote by material ballot supplied by their teachers or online. There are two divisions: one for Grades Three through Five, and Grades Six through Eight. "Night of the Howling Dogs" is on Louisiana's list for middle school grades. The point of this reading challenge is provide the opportunity for boys and girls to choose THEIR favorite book by vote, with the winner getting a special designation.
So, "Night of the Howling Dogs" is one contender, a historical novel interlaced with Hawaiian mythos. Long ago the goddess Pele was forced out of the Polynesian islands by her bad sister and came with her other brothers and sisters to this volcano, where she sometimes takes the shape of a small white dog. Dylan, the narrator both hears and sees the white dog and its companion. One of the cowboys who also happen to come to the area to fish tells the Scouts this story and that it is a sign that the volcano is about to erupt.
Another story line is that of Louis, a big brute of a boy for his age--these boys are eleven or so. Louie is native Hawaiian and shows great disrespect for the narrator. He is invited into the Scouts by a very caring leader who finds the boy living in his warehouse. Because of a pitiful home life, Louie is close to homeless.
There is no explanation for the surprise of character that can arise from horrible events, for it is Louie, the bad kid, who unfailingly becomes the heroic character. Yes, I'm giving a spoiler, but it is not the fact that he becomes the hero--it is what he does. His heroic actions in the face of absolute danger make the novel worth reading. Sociologists tell us that there is no explanation for the reason why some children can come out of dire circumstances to become successful and why some cannot succeed even from wonderful backgrounds. It is this mystery that becomes the heart of the second half of the novel.
The eruption and tsunami are frighteningly described in crashing detail. The reader almost drowns with Dylan, but then becomes part of the survival and rescue efforts. It is a thrilling--almost too thrilling-- experience.
Just as many young adult novels deal with multiple issues, so does "Night of the Howling Dogs." Author Salisbury weaves them together quite admirably. I never once had to suspend any belief. All seems possible. But then again the story is based on a true event, which is then filtered through the lens of a award-winning writer.
