Dig

Dig
A.S. King
Dutton, 2019 400 pages
Realistic Fiction
Grades 9-Up

The title of this book refers to a potato farm that links our six teenage narrators, as well as that of a disappointed old man and his miserable wife. The old man, Gottfried recalls a pivotal moment in his youth when he started to make bad decisions. Greed overtook his trajectory and he missed out on meaningful relationships with his five offspring. His wife, Marla, holds a secret that she thinks has tainted her life forever, punishing her with this unsatisfying life of unhappiness. Meanwhile, their grandson, Malcolm, stays weekdays with the elderly couple, while traveling weekends to Jamaica with his cancer-ridden father. New to town, The Shoveler takes a job painting Gottfried and Marla's house, while trying to process information he wishes he didn't discover about his new neighbor/friend. The Ring Mistress operates a flea circus in the backroom of her trailer, all while her abusive father beats her mother. CanIHelpYou? comes to terms with her mother's racism and entitlement by working at a fast-food restaurant and dealing pot on the side. Jake is growing away from his older brother the bully and the secret they are hiding. The Freak is the thread that weaves them all together as she visits them all at different times and brings them different gifts. Finally, all of the stories intersect as an old wrong is righted and the new generation choses to stop the unhealthy cycle started long ago.

A.S. King packs a wallop of a book in this 2020 Printz winner. Yes, there is a lot going on in this book and the story is told by many characters, but it all makes sense and comes together by the end. I love books like that! There are plot twists that link characters and readers will have several "A-Ha" moments as the pages turn. Themes such as white privilege, racism, American greed, and sexism are all explored. Readers will feel uncomfortable while reading this book-and that is the author's point. She is unapologetically challenging teenagers to examine their own lives, question the wrongs, and stand up for what is right. The teens in the story discover the "right thing" and break the cycle of dysfunction to live a different kind of life than their elders. The book is expertly written and, though it features young characters, feels for more of an adult audience. Many teens will be confused by the various narrators and parts of the book will go right over their heads. Bright and patient older teen readers will have a huge payoff and may find a real game changer in this volume. I labeled the book "realistic fiction", but there is a thread of fantasy, though this is not obvious at first glance. There are also several mysteries within the plot, all of which are solved satisfactorily in the way crafted by the best authors. A well-deserved win by an amazing and principled talent.