Book Review: SAVVY by Ingrid Law

Bibliography

Law, Ingrid. SAVVY. New York: Dial Books for Young Readers, 2008. ISBN: 0142414336.

Plot Summary

Mississippi Beaumont, otherwise known as Mibs, is excited for her thirteenth birthday, but not for the usual reasons. Mibs comes from a very special family who come into a very special power or savvy on their thirteenth birthdays. Her oldest brother, Rocket, uses his electrical savvy to keep the family car running and her brother, Fish, accidentally caused a hurricane with his water savvy on his thirteenth birthday. Mibs’ grandfather can move mountains with his savvy, while her mother does everything perfect, even her mistakes. Mibs’ father is the only one in the Beaumont family without a savvy. 

Mibs is excited to see what her savvy might be, until her father is injured and in a coma after a serious car accident two days before her birthday. Mibs’ mother and Rocket go to be with their father in the hospital, while Mibs and her other siblings stay with the preacher’s family from their church. When her birthday arrives, Mibs is convinced that her savvy will help wake her father and decides to find a way to get to the hospital ninety miles away. Mibs, Fish, their younger brother Samson, and the preacher’s kids, Bobbi and Will Junior, sneak a ride on a pink bible delivery bus driven by twitchy and kind delivery man, Lester. 

On their journey to get to her father, Mibs learns more about her savvy and herself, makes new friends, and has a budding romance develop with Will Junior, who has a secret himself. After finally getting to see her father, Mibs’ savvy does help her father, and helps him discovery his own savvy.

Critical Analysis

SAVVY is a coming-of-age novel with a magical twist. The main character, Mibs, is now a teenager and her journey to save her father and understand her savvy teaches her valuable lessons about family, growing up, and accepting our differences. Even without a savvy, the reader can relate to these themes and the characters. Each character is clearly distinct from the others, with their unique quirks and foibles, even those without an obvious savvy. 

By the end of the story, readers feel an affinity for all of the characters, even snarky sixteen-year-old Bobbi (and fidgety, stuttering Lester), and are invested in their outcomes. Though the novel is a fantasy, and many of the characters have a special power, the characters are developed in a way that the reader feels like they could be friends with the character or could identify themselves in one or all of the characters.

The plot of the story is plausible and reasonable. Even though the Beaumont family has special powers, the author has written their journey in such a way that makes it feel like it could have really happened. The plot and characters of SAVVY are fantastical, though other elements are more realistic. The setting is in the middle of nowhere, in a place the Beaumont family likes to call Kansaska-Nebransas. Though the setting may not be fantastical, the author provides enough details for readers to visualize the surroundings. Law’s use of language and alliteration create a vivid and simple fantasy that is entertaining and touching.

Review Excerpt(s)

2009 Newbery Honor winner

From School Library Journal

“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.” Elizabeth Bird

From Booklist

“Law’s storytelling is rollicking, her language imaginative, and her entire cast of whacky, yet believable characters delightful.” Francisca Goldsmith

Book Connections

Read the companion novel to SAVVY by Ingrid Law:

SCRUMBLE, ISBN 0142419621.

Read other Newbery Honor fantasy books:

Lin, Grace. WHERE THE MOUNTAIN MEETS THE MOON, ISBN 0316038636.

Black, Holly. DOLL BONES, ISBN 1416963995.

McGraw, Eloise. THE MOORCHILD, ISBN 1416927689.

Activities for SAVVY:

• Have students write about a power or savvy, real or imaginary, that they would like to have and how they would use their savvy.
• Ask students to consider their own life journeys. What have been the high and low points of their lives? Have students create a visual map of their lives using a Web 2.0 tool like Prezi, and extend their maps by exploring and predicting their future too.
• Have students read the tall tale of Eva Mae El Dorado Two-Birds Ransom that Ingrid Law wrote and based her novel SAVVY on and have students compare and contrast both stories. The tale of Eva Mae can be found at http://www.penguin.com/static/packages/us/yreaders/savvy/savvy_exc_orig_01.php.