FANTASY FICTION: SAVVY, BY INGRID LAW
FANTASY FICTION: SAVVY
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
Law, Ingrid. 2008. SAVVY. New York, NY. Puffin Books. ISBN 9780142414330.PLOT SUMMARY
Thirteenth birthdays are a momentous occasion for Savvy’s family, the Beaumonts. It is the age where their “savvy” - a supernatural power that is unique to them- is revealed, and when they can do wondrous and magical things with their powers. Mississippi (Mibbs) Beaumont’s highly anticipated birthday is darkened by a terrible accident in the family, and Mibbs must go on a daring journey to save her father, and try to help him with what she thinks is her Savvy, the ability to bring things to life. However, on the journey, she realizes her Savvy is not what she thought it was, and even normal people have savvys, her traveling companions are more than they first appeared.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
It is evident that Law has a way with creating realistic and believable characters to whom youth and adults can relate to. The protagonist, Mibbs, is so expertly created with her tongue-in-cheek wit, keen observance of things around her, and dead-panned humor making her not only relatable to tween readers, but also possibly reminding them that person whom they know well. Through SAVVY, the readers are introduced to the inner-workings of Mibbs in her insecurities, disbeliefs, worries, fears, and sorrows, but also more importantly her joys, excitements, celebrations, and self-discoveries during her physical journey to save Poppa which becomes a journey of learning to love herself. Readers not only learn about Mibbs, but also Mibbs’ family friends: Will, Fish, Rocket, Samson, Bobbi, and even Lester and Lill who are all so intricately unique. Their journey together creates empathy and care within the reader.
As Mibbs comes to terms with her power of telepathy through drawings on people's skin, she remarks on how powerful other’s negative voices and opinions can echo in anyone's heads, not just her ultra-heightened telepathic abilities:
“Maybe we all have other people’s voices running higgledy-piggledy through our heads all the time. I thought how often my poppa and momma were there inside my head with me, telling me right from wrong, Or how the voices of Ashley being and Emma Flint sometimes got stuck under my skin, taunting me and making me feel low, even when they aren’t around. I began to realize how hard it is to separate out all the voices to hear the single, strong one that came just for me.”
Through her journey, Mibbs’ empathy and care for others and their inner struggles heighten as she comes to terms with her own unique abilities.
While the plot revolves around a young girl and her family with supernatural powers, it is one that is expertly believable and logical, set in the real present world with the limits of the laws of nature we know ourselves, but with a fantastical twist. Supernatural powers such as controlling the weather, telepathy, and electricity are all powers with which readers are familiar through the lens of superhero comics and movies, combined with science fiction elements. However, this original story created with fantastical elements is one that is creative and interesting for middle grade readers, with twists and turns that surprise the reader along the way.
This modernized selfless quest of Mibbs, a middle grade girl who seeks to travel to save her father, is the theme of many classic hero stories, but with adults. Mibbs’ unique journey and personal growth along the way is unique of its own; the villains she must conquer are not the ones she originally believed to be at the beginning of the story, but are disguised in her own self-doubt, and modernized characters who seek to take away her hope and joy
The Beaumont family,because they are a family with multiple children with powerful supernatural abilities that need to be harnessed, live an isolated life, directly settled between Kansas and Nebraska (Mibbs calls it “Kanaska-Nebrankas). They do so in an effort to keep their abilities hidden from those who do not have a Savvy, and to keep others safe. Even for those who are not familiar with the layout of Kansas and Nebraska, the vivid descriptions Law provides help readers of all ages to visualize the setting of Mibbs’ quest, and brings the story to life. The details that are used to describe the different detours Mibbs must detour along her journey, as well as the challenges she and her companions face, are intricately woven to create the setting for readers.
Similar to the Harry Potter and Percy Jackson series, SAVVY follows the ‘hidden heritage” troupe storyline. However, the themes within SAVVY are much deeper than a common “troupe”, and Law introduces multiple themes that can resonate not only with middle grade readers, but also adults as well. The following themes are valuable life themes that anyone can experience, no matter their age, gender, or ethnicity, and are traits that transcend time and place for readers.
The first theme, shown through Mibbs’ physical journey to help her father, is the gradual realization of her own self-worth, and the understanding that her unique Savvy is good, even when it's not what she expected. Not only that, but Mibbs learns she has other “powers” in addition to her Savvy: her innate ability to empathize with others, her natural inclination to care for others, and her introspective nature to seek how she can help others. All of these character traits are valuable, and may help young readers to look into themselves, and ponder their own “savvy”, or innate and unique abilities that make them them.
“Momma didn’t realize that I’d already taken on the world and won. I’d grown used to all the voices inside of my head and knew which ones to pay attention to and which ones to ignore. The same went for all the voices outside of my head..”
The second theme that readers may see is the importance of family and friends, no matter what it may look like. SAVVY helps readers understand and bring to life the power of different types of family dynamics, and cement the fact that there is not one right way of having a family or group of friends. Family groups and friend groups come in all shapes and sizes, and are unique in their own way. Within these two groups of relationships that are vital to the growth and development of youth, readers may discover along with Mibbs that people are not always what they seem at first glance, and more often than not, are more than they appear.
Finally, one of the universal themes is the life lesson that life or situations do not always go as they are planned, and are sometimes out of our control. In the beginning, Mibbs misunderstands her Savvy gift to be the power of bringing things back to life from the dead, because her innermost desire was for her critically injured father to be well again. However, as she travels on her journey to save her father, she discovers that she has another ability entirely. While the outcome of her original hope did not look how she planned for it to be, she was still able , in the end, to live life to the fullest with her family, and love them deeply.
“It took Poppa a long, long time to get strong enough to come home to Kanaska- Nebransas. Even then, things never did get back to the way they’d been before the accident. When something like that comes along, whether it's an accident or a savvy or a very fast kiss, life takes a turn and you can’t step. All you can do is keep moving forward and remember what you have learned.”
REVIEW EXCERPTS
School Library Journal:
“Mississippi Beaumont ("Mibs" for short) simply cannot wait for her 13th birthday. There's the allure of finally becoming a teenager, of course, but in the Beaumont family, 13 is when family members get their "savvy," or unworldly power. For Mibs's older brother Fish, it's control over the elements, and for her mother it's the ability to do everything perfectly… Though the story never lives up to the brilliance of its opening chapter, Law has a feel for characters and language that is matched by few. With its delightful premise and lively adventure, this book will please a wide variety of audiences, not just fantasy fans. Definitely an author to watch.”
Booklist:
“...Law's storytelling is rollicking, her language imaginative, and her entire cast of whacky, yet believable characters delightful. Readers will want more from Law; her first book is both wholly engaging and lots of fun.”
CONNECTIONS
Did you enjoy SAVVY? Read the rest of the SAVVY series!
Book 2: SCUMBLE. ISBN: 9781410435316
Book 3: SWITCH. ISBN: 9780803738621
Awards:
Newbery Honor Book, 2009
ALA Notable Children’s Books, 2009
Similar Middle Grade books to SAVVY:
Beasley, Cassie. TUMBLE & BLUE. ISBN: 9780525428442
Graff, Lisa. A TANGLE OF KNOTS. ISBN: 9780399255175
Llyod, Natalie. A SNICKER OF MAGIC. ISBN: 9780545552707
Van Cleave, Kathleen. DRIZZLE. ISBN: 9780803733626
Similar Middle Grade Fantasy Series to the SAVVY Series:
JK Rowling’s Harry Potter series
Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson, Heroes of Olympus, Magnus Chase, Trials of Apollo, and Kane Chronicles series
James Patterson’s Maximum Ride Series
Jinny Nemmo’s Charlie Bone series
Activities:
Public Library Tween Book club
The Savvy Assignment : Have participants fill out a pre-made character map, where they can create their own savvy, and describe why they chose it. Then, they can share with the group after they finish.
Casting the Movie- SAVVY: have participants create their own choice of actors who would play the characters in SAVVY.
Design a new book cover for SAVVY that portrays the important themes of the novel.
Use the Discussion Questions located at the end of the book to lead the book club in conversations about the book’s themes and storyline.
Introduce RICK RIORDAN PRESENTS publishing and the various fantasy series that he has published from diverse authors based on different mythologies from around the world. In Book Tasting Fashion, place the different series books around the library on tables, with a small card that gives a blurb of the series, and the mythology it represents.
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