Title: Where the Crawdads Sing
Author: Delia Owens
Genre: Historical Fiction
# of pages: 368
Reading Level: 880L, 14-17 years
Summary: Where the Crawdads Sing is the heartbreaking and riveting tale of Kya Clark, a young woman who was raised in the marshes of North Carolina. Abandoned by her mother and siblings, she is left with her abusive father. However, when her father disappears after a few years Kya is forced to provide for herself in a world where she was given nothing but the marsh. This was okay with Kya, “Most of what she knew, she'd learned from the wild. Nature had nurtured, tutored, and protected her when no one else would” (Owens, 2019). As she grows up she finds herself torn between two men. Tate, a home-grown working boy who loves the marsh, but has to leave, and Chase, the town flirt and resident favorite. When Chase is found dead Kya becomes the immediate suspect and she is forced to be a spectacle for the town that hates her. Where the Crawdads Sing explores the prejudice between class systems and the reality of growing up in extreme poverty. Kya is a glowing endorsement of embracing your history while not letting it define you.
Genre: Where the Crawdads Sing is classified as historical fiction. The novel is set throughout the 1950s and 1960s in a deeply southern town. Although not based on real people, the setting and time frame of the book are drawn from real points in history.
Reading the Novel: Where the Crawdads Sing might be best read as a class. Although it is an engaging story for some, the plotline may not be engaging to others. By reading it as a class the teacher has the opportunity to make the content relatable and appealing to a younger group of students. If not read as a class, I would recommend this book to students who enjoy books about social issues or students who enjoy historical pieces.
Teaching the Novel: This novel is recommended for students aged 14-17 with a Lexile level of 880. It has not been categorized as a quick read for most people, so this novel would require dedicated time to discuss and work through. Where the Crawdads Sing opens doors to have conversations about poverty in America and what life was like for various groups growing up in the historic South.
Cross-Curriculum: Where the Crawdads Sing can easily fit into a social studies classroom as it explores racism and class prejudice in the South.
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