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Dig was quite a story. I really appreciated how the author weaved the characters into one another’s lives (or non-lives…) and brought them all together, unexpectedly, at the end. The parallel’s drawn between the lives of the characters and the potatoes was an interesting take as well. I liked that the potatoes were not just a parallel either, they were a part of the characters history. I appreciated the names of the characters: The Shoveler, the Freak, CanIHelpYou?, Loretta the Flea-Circus Ring Mistress, and First-Class Malcom, it gave an interesting dynamic to them – many times we remember someone with a nickname and do not know their real name until later, when the timing is right.
A. S. King’s book, Dig, won the 202 Printz Award at the Youth Media Awards (Yorio, 2020). The story weaves the lives of five teens The Shoveler, the Freak, CanIHelpYou?, Loretta the Flea-Circus Ring Mistress, and First-Class Malcom into one another in a seemingly random way that all link back to Gottfried and Marla Hemmings. The history of potato farming in their path and the way that potatoes grow is paralleled to their lives and the teens are even described as the discarded potatoes that still manage to thrive on their own. Tunnels are also a large part of the story line and would make for an interesting discussion on what young adults think the meaning of them is. There are so many parallels and themes in this book to discuss, many that are uncomfortable but important to think about. The character’s grapple with their white privilege and racism, all of the characters are plagued with family dysfunction, some form of abuse, and family secrets. A reoccurring theme in the book, while uncomfortable, is something that all teens think about: teen sex and sexuality, specifically female masturbation. This book would be a fantastic book for discussion.
Additional citations:
Yorio, K. (2020, January 28). 'Dig' Wins the Printz, Much to Author A.S. King's Surprise. Retrieved June 16, 2020, from https://www.slj.com/?detailStory=dig-wins-printz-much-to-author-a-s-king-surprise-YMAs-books-libraries
A. S. King’s book, Dig, won the 202 Printz Award at the Youth Media Awards (Yorio, 2020). The story weaves the lives of five teens The Shoveler, the Freak, CanIHelpYou?, Loretta the Flea-Circus Ring Mistress, and First-Class Malcom into one another in a seemingly random way that all link back to Gottfried and Marla Hemmings. The history of potato farming in their path and the way that potatoes grow is paralleled to their lives and the teens are even described as the discarded potatoes that still manage to thrive on their own. Tunnels are also a large part of the story line and would make for an interesting discussion on what young adults think the meaning of them is. There are so many parallels and themes in this book to discuss, many that are uncomfortable but important to think about. The character’s grapple with their white privilege and racism, all of the characters are plagued with family dysfunction, some form of abuse, and family secrets. A reoccurring theme in the book, while uncomfortable, is something that all teens think about: teen sex and sexuality, specifically female masturbation. This book would be a fantastic book for discussion.
Additional citations:
Yorio, K. (2020, January 28). 'Dig' Wins the Printz, Much to Author A.S. King's Surprise. Retrieved June 16, 2020, from https://www.slj.com/?detailStory=dig-wins-printz-much-to-author-a-s-king-surprise-YMAs-books-libraries