Haven, Pennsylvania, is a cold and lonely place during World War II. As the residents of this small town quietly go about their lives, there is no one more lonely than Andy Gilbert. When all the young men his age go off to serve in World War 2, Andy is rejected and stays behind taking one of the few jobs available. Daily, through telegrams, he delivers the news his former friends and neighbors can’t bear. As more husbands, fathers, and sons are lost, Andy’s lonely alienation grows. Without the love of family or friends, his day to day existence is filled with hopelessness. What is it like to truly live a life of this kind? How would you handle a life in which you were seen as the bearer of bad news and the town pariah? With no idea of how long the war will go on, he experiences a crisis only lack of love can bring. Will the townspeople come to realize how much he needs them? Who will come along to set things right? Is it possible to abandon hope forever or to live without love? If life were the light of a candle, Andy Gilbert’s light is almost out.

Tracie Peterson’s very short novel, Silent Star has much to save about the faith and resilience of the people and even more to say about how very much we truly need each other. If you are lonely and feel you have nothing to share or that no one needs you, Silent Star will renew your belief in others and in our connection to each other.
Silent Star is available in Braille from your branch of the National Library Service and on bookshare if you prefer to get it there. It is one of my favorite Christmas novels. After reading it, it may just be one of yours. Below you will find a short review and details about how you can attend a discussion of this inspirational and very short novel. December
Eighteen year-old Andy Gilbert lost his faith in God when both of his parents died. He lives alone, has no friends, and is ostracized by the small town of Haven, Pennsylvania because America is at war (World War II) and he delivers telegrams informing families that their loved ones have been killed in action (he was unable to join the Army because he is crippled). Andy is considered the bearer of bad news and most of Haven’s residents refuse to talk to him and cross the street when they see him. One Sunday, Andy goes to the cemetery to see his parent’s grave and meets Estella Nelson, a widowed senior citizen who recently moved back to Haven. When Estella tries to befriend Andy, he runs away because he cannot believe that she would want to talk to him once she learns about his occupation. Estella sees the pain and hurt in Andy’s life and vows to try to help him. A few days later, Estella feels that Andy needs her and rushes over to his house and finds him deathly ill. After nursing him back to health, Estella tries to convince Andy that God loves him and that the people of Haven do not hate him, they just fear the news he carries. Andy refuses to believe Estella. Estella then meets Mary Beth, one of Andy’s old classmates who also recently moved to the city, and convinces her to help Andy. Mary Beth reminds Andy to read the Bible and learn its lessons. On Christmas Eve, Estella stands up in front of church and tells Haven’s residents how unintentionally mean and cruel they are being to Andy. Estella and Mary Beth then lead the congregation to Andy’s house to apologize for their actions. Andy graciously accepts their apology, reads the Bible to rekindle his faith in God, makes plans to move in with Estella, and begins to fall in love with Mary Beth.

Geographical Setting: Haven, Pennsylvania
Time Period: November & December 1944

Appeal Characteristics:
This non-literary, Gentle read, Christian inspiration story is set in small-town America during World War II. The plot is character driven, develops slowly, and focuses on the main character’s internal struggle for faith and his strained interactions with society. Church, belief in God, and the positive and negative aspects of community play a large part in the story.

Bonnie Blose, Group Facilitator

E-Mail: bookmaven1@frontier.com