Grace and the Guiltless

Gr 7–10—Johnson remains faithful to standard Western lore in this historical fiction novel: a young person seeks revenge on outlaws. Predictability notwithstanding, the story opens with a shocking scene that paints a vivid picture and will capture readers' attention. Grace witnesses the death of her entire family at the hands of the Guiltless Gang. After realizing that the sheriff is in cahoots with the Guiltless, the teen wastes no time hopping onto her trusty horse and heading into the wilderness on their trail. The author creates a likable and relatable character in the protagonist, yet Grace's mannerisms and experience seem more like those of a modern teen. Namely, she lacks basic survival skills. After eating poisonous berries and almost dying, Joe, a young traveling preacher, finds her and brings her to the Ndeh tribe who nurse her back to health. In Joe, Grace finds a kindred spirit and burgeoning romance. He has also lost his family to violence and the Ndeh have raised him. The protagonist appreciates their kindness and learns the ways of the warrior from them, yet she cannot "…walk in happiness, let the hurt go" as they do, and as everyone else in the book advises. A revenge epic in the vein of True Grit.—Laura Falli, McNeil High School, Austin, TX