#49--The Rag and Bone Shop

Bibliographic Information

The Rag and Bone Shop by Robert Cormier. Laurel Leaf. (2003)

Price: $16.45 for hardcover; $6.99 for mass market paperback

Pages: 176 for mass market paperback

Note: This was originally published in 2001.

Plot Summary

Soon –to-be eighth grader, Jason, has difficulty getting along with people his own age. Hard working and quiet, he just doesn’t connect with his classmates, a mutual feeling as they constantly ignore him. Jason does, however, enjoying spending time with younger kids like his eight year old sister Emma and the neighborhood kid, seven year old Alicia.

But when Alicia is found murdered, Jason becomes the primary suspect. After all, he was the last to see her alive and forensics determined that Alicia had not fought her attacker. Jason, however, is ignorant of his status and so eagerly agrees to visit the police station and hopefully help in the investigation. He eventually realizes that the police do not trust him as he must endure an intense interrogation led by an interrogator who always gets his man. Will Jason be able to convince the authorities that he didn’t kill Alicia or will he be sentenced for a crime he didn’t commit?

Critical Evaluation

Cormier’s The Rag and Bone Shop is a truly disturbing novel that explores how people can inflict severe psychological torture in order to get what they want. While there are many fascinating elements within the book perhaps the most intriguing is the characterization. Even though the novel is only 154 pages Cormier manages to not only create a sympathetic character in Jason but a complex portrayal of Trent the interrogator. Naturally, readers are repulsed by Trent as he is tempted to force Jason into a confession that will greatly benefit his career. However, readers cannot simply dismiss Trent as a villain as Cormier expertly inserts whispers of Trent’s troubled past—the sudden death of his wife, the emotional toll of interrogation, the promise and denial of a new beginning. Ultimately, Cormier has created a masterpiece in The Rag and Bone Shop as readers are left to ponder how much a person’s actions are shaped by the suggestions of another.

Reader’s Annotation

When a little girl is killed, twelve year old Jason is the prime suspect in a murder he did not commit. How will he convince the expert interrogator that he didn’t do it?

About the Author

In 1991, the American Library Association awarded a lifetime achievement award (the Margaret A. Edwards) to Robert Cormier and it is easy to see why. Cormier never shied away from difficult topics like bullying, sexuality, and terrorism. Sadly, he died of lung cancer in 2000. The Rag and Bone Shop was published posthumously a year after his death.

To learn more about Robert Cormier visit: Fantastic Fiction and The Guardian

Genre

Realistic fiction, Gritty fiction

Readalikes

The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier

·         Shares the same author

Silent to the Bone by E.L. Konigsburg

·         A boy must figure out how to clear his best friend’s name while his best friend remains silent.

The Body of Christopher Creed by Carol Plum-Ucci

·         Also about kids who are suspected of murder but are innocent

Tags

Manipulation, abuse of authority, corrupt police, innocence & guilt, 12 year old, child murdered, fitting in, loneliness, identity, murder, grief, jigsaw puzzles, Massachusetts, 8^th grade, bullying, sexual assault, psychological torture, verbal interrogation

Awards Won/Lists On

2002 ALA’s Top Ten Best Books for Young Adults

2002 TAYSHAS (in Texas) High School Reading List

2003 Kentucky Bluegrass Master List

Professional Reviews

Booklist

Kirkus Reviews

 Publishers' Weekly

Booktalk Ideas

A booktalk could focus on the following:

·         How would you respond to an interrogation? Mention specifics.

o   Restlessness? Shifting in seat? (85)

·         How is an interrogation conducted? Mention specifics.

o   Small space (75-76)

o   Hot room (88)

Bibliotherapeutic Usefulness

This book could be used to discuss abuse of authority, the power of suggestion, and how a good person can be corrupted. It could be used for teens that have experienced extreme manipulation, particularly verbal manipulation.

Reading Level/Interest Level

Reading Level: 5^th grade

Interest Level: 9^th-12^th grade

These levels are according to AR Bookfinder

Challenge Issues

This book includes the following potentially controversial elements:

·         Abuse of authority

·         Corrupt law enforcement

·         Psychological torture

·         Child murder

·         Bullying & sexual assault

Librarians can point out that this book can be used by parents to talk about the responsibility of authority and individuals. It’s also a great book to use to discuss bullying, specifically the kind that often goes undetected where people use body language and words to convince you of your own worthlessness.

Why Was This Included?

I included The Rag and Bone Shop because I’ve always been curious about Cormier’s work. I’ve heard his name many times and had yet to read any of his books. I chose to read The Rag and Bone Shop over The Chocolate War because I heard that The Chocolate War had a dark ending and optimistically hoped that The Rag and Bone Shop would end more positively. I have found that books with dark endings make me feel depressed for days.