Once Upon a River

Once Upon a River (2011) by Bonnie Jo Campbell. A superb evocation of a place and time. Margo Crane, a teenager living by a river in Michigan, goes on the run after she is raped and her father is killed. Using the river skills she has, she survives -- even when survival means shacking up with some unsavory characters. The detail that Campbell brings to this book, about fishing and hunting and skinning critters, seems incredible. How does she know all this stuff? It all rings true and authentic, and Margo stands out as an unforgettable character. Grade: A