Small Black Boxes
A powerful novel about life, death, and reaching beyond memories to find healing: ‘The Secretary of the Air Force has asked me to express his deep regret that your husband, Major Walter Pritchard, was killed in action in Afghanistan on October 7. He and several of his men were involved in a firefight in a small village near Kandahar. Major Pritchard was killed by enemy fire. The Secretary extends his deepest sympathy to you and your family in your tragic loss.’ With those words, 15-year-old Leah Pritchard’s world would never be the same. As she and her family start the process of saying good-bye to their husband and father, twelve boxes are delivered. These boxes, filled with the belongings of the man she knew as father, slowly start to introduce Leah to the Walter Pritchard known to the world. A beautifully written tale of love and family, Small Black Boxes follows Leah as she watches each item weave a tale of her father’s life. The reader is transported with Leah as she follows the path of Walter’s memories until the last box, when Leah must continue on alone.
Language: English
Page length: 79 pages
Age levels: 10 to adult
List price: $8.00
“Turner’s audience will likely find themselves mourning the death of Leah’s father with each chapter and subsequently learning how to live with the loss. An often painful yet forthright tale of loss and healing in a time of war.” –Kirkus Discoveries
“From the beginning, the author draws the reader into the incredible range of emotions that a young high school girl, her mother and younger brother experience upon learning of their loved one’s death in Afghanistan. The story does not delve into political rationale for war nor does it seek to give easy answers for dealing with deep gut-wrenching pain and grief. But by using the opening of 12 black boxes, we are privileged to journey through the special memories that afford comfort and bring a sense of hope to all three…a soldier’s cap that can be held and caressed; a musical score marked in the margin evoking shared evenings of songs together; a hand-made child’s valentine treasured by a father; Clyde,the yellow lab’s collar; a special portrait drawn by an accomplished artist-soldier. These were just some of the treasures that Major Walter Pritchard packed to take with him on his way to a war on the other side of the world. When they are returned in the black boxes, they reveal the essence of the man to us; his death and how this family copes with it reveal their character. Turner has written a sensitive, beautiful book that I could not put down til the final page.”
“…lyrically written…eloquently expresses the importance of a close-knit family, positive memories, abiding love, and faith in the future, when moving through the mourning process. Turner has exquisitely captured the rhythms of grief and the gradual stirrings of hope that are a part of this adolescent’s journey. The result is an unforgettable story.”