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Trouble the Water
From the award-winning author of Dovey Coe comes a “powerful” ( School Library Journal ) tale of the friendship between a black girl and a white boy and the prejudices they must overcome in segregated Kentucky as they try to solve the mystery surrounding a lonely old dog.
Eleven-year-old Callie is fearless, stubborn, and a little nosy. So when she sees an old yellow dog wandering around town by itself, you can bet she’s going to figure out who he belongs to. But when her sleuthing leads her to cross paths with a white boy named Wendell who wants to help, the segregated town doesn’t take too kindly to their budding friendship.
Meanwhile, a nearly invisible boy named Jim is stuck in a cabin in the woods. He’s lost his dog, but can’t remember exactly when his pup’s disappeared. When his companion, a little boy named Thomas, who’s been invisible much longer than he, explains that they are ghosts, the two must figure out why they can’t seem to cross the river to the other side just yet…
And as Callie and Wendell’s search for the old dog brings them closer and closer to the cabin in the woods, the simmering prejudices of the townspeople boil over.
Eleven-year-old Callie is fearless, stubborn, and a little nosy. So when she sees an old yellow dog wandering around town by itself, you can bet she’s going to figure out who he belongs to. But when her sleuthing leads her to cross paths with a white boy named Wendell who wants to help, the segregated town doesn’t take too kindly to their budding friendship.
Meanwhile, a nearly invisible boy named Jim is stuck in a cabin in the woods. He’s lost his dog, but can’t remember exactly when his pup’s disappeared. When his companion, a little boy named Thomas, who’s been invisible much longer than he, explains that they are ghosts, the two must figure out why they can’t seem to cross the river to the other side just yet…
And as Callie and Wendell’s search for the old dog brings them closer and closer to the cabin in the woods, the simmering prejudices of the townspeople boil over.
288 pages, Hardcover
First published May 3, 2016
12 people are currently reading
482 people want to read
About the author
Frances O'Roark Dowell
45 books402 followersWhile Frances O'Roark Dowell (Dovey Coe, The Secret Language of Girls, Trouble the Water) is best known for her award-winning novels, she also hosts the popular "Off-Kilter Quilt" podcast, where she talks about her latest quilt projects with friends and fellow quilters around the globe. Her own little corner of the globe is Durham, North Carolina, where she lives with her husband, two sons, and a dog named Travis. Connect with her online at FrancesDowell.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
October 26, 2019
Its one of the best books about the past i have read so far. I recommend it.
June 29, 2022
This is one of those books I've had in the library quite a while and have always wanted to read. Took it home this summer and it's the first middle grade book I've finished so far this summer. Long story short, I loved it! I have this labeled as a 'scary' book because it does, indeed, have ghosts. But honestly they're really not scary, more like the sad kind.
The story takes place in a small southern town in the 1950s and touches on many subjects in a very relevant way, with every issue having a natural place in the story. In the story are two young boy ghosts, one a black boy from the 1800s and the other a white boy from more recently. They find themselves haunting the same cabin, which has also been found by a couple of local kids, Cassie, who is black and Wendell, who is white. In a small town in the 1950s south, a friendship between kids of different races was highly unusual. Maybe even unheard of. And as the two kids try and solve the mystery of the old yellow dog who has showed up in town, and the name 'Jim' carved in the cabin wall, they raise eyebrows. Other topics brought into the story include educational inequality, segregation of the local pool, the underground railroad, the loyalty of friends and dogs, and the power of the press.
This one made me cry, which, oddly enough, I always enjoy.
The story takes place in a small southern town in the 1950s and touches on many subjects in a very relevant way, with every issue having a natural place in the story. In the story are two young boy ghosts, one a black boy from the 1800s and the other a white boy from more recently. They find themselves haunting the same cabin, which has also been found by a couple of local kids, Cassie, who is black and Wendell, who is white. In a small town in the 1950s south, a friendship between kids of different races was highly unusual. Maybe even unheard of. And as the two kids try and solve the mystery of the old yellow dog who has showed up in town, and the name 'Jim' carved in the cabin wall, they raise eyebrows. Other topics brought into the story include educational inequality, segregation of the local pool, the underground railroad, the loyalty of friends and dogs, and the power of the press.
This one made me cry, which, oddly enough, I always enjoy.
March 12, 2023
this was my favorite book when i was a kid and i don’t remember how many times i read it but i know it was a lot because my copy is falling apart
June 17, 2018
This was one terrific read about an interracial friendship between a black girl and a white boy in Kentucky during the time before the Civil Rights Movement. The story spoke to me in ways I really can't describe other than I just really loved everything about it. And the fact that so much of the story centered around a beautiful and aging dog made it all the more heartwarming.
June 22, 2016
This is an honest and engaging story of an interracial friendship in pre-civil rights Kentucky. It offers some important and thought provoking perspectives for young readers to consider. Recommended for ages 8-12.
August 14, 2016
Love this author. Want to read more of her.
March 3, 2019
I very much enjoyed the plot and characters of this book. The young girl, Callie, was especially spunky and entertaining.
May 27, 2016
It's 1953 and eleven-year-old Callie wants to learn who the yellow dog that's wandering her Celeste, Kentucky town belongs to. She's determined to write an article for the local black newspaper once she does her detective work. Callie wants to learn the dog's story so she heads towards the river, while a white boy, Wendall, is following his own leads about an old hidden cabin near the river, when they meet. They join forces for the day to search for the dog and the cabin.
What Callie and Wendall don't know is that there are two invisible ghost boys living in the cabin. Later, when Callie digs through old newspapers, she learns a boy drowned in the river some years past and he had a dog that fit the description of the dog she and Wendall have seen. One of the ghost boys is that very boy who can't understand why he's stuck in a cabin and how he lost his dog. The other ghost boy has been invisible longer and used the cabin as part of an underground railroad escape route when he was alive.
Callie and Wendall pair up to do more investigations, because they're learning they have to rely on each other, unlike their townsfolk who pretend to trust each other but are really just trying to not trouble the water. However, the waters do get troubled when Mr. Renfrow, the editor of the black newspaper, writes an editorial about the need to integrate the town pool.
The voices of Callie, Wendall, the two ghost boys, and Mr. Renfrow stir the waters of history and the present in this well told story.
What Callie and Wendall don't know is that there are two invisible ghost boys living in the cabin. Later, when Callie digs through old newspapers, she learns a boy drowned in the river some years past and he had a dog that fit the description of the dog she and Wendall have seen. One of the ghost boys is that very boy who can't understand why he's stuck in a cabin and how he lost his dog. The other ghost boy has been invisible longer and used the cabin as part of an underground railroad escape route when he was alive.
Callie and Wendall pair up to do more investigations, because they're learning they have to rely on each other, unlike their townsfolk who pretend to trust each other but are really just trying to not trouble the water. However, the waters do get troubled when Mr. Renfrow, the editor of the black newspaper, writes an editorial about the need to integrate the town pool.
The voices of Callie, Wendall, the two ghost boys, and Mr. Renfrow stir the waters of history and the present in this well told story.
May 20, 2016
Huge thank you to Simon & Schuster Canada for this ARC!
This was a book that wasn't on my radar at all and it was sent to me unsolicited. I am a sucker for dogs being on the cover of books and this book is a few things: it's a story of a dog becoming loved, two children from different sides of the fence becoming friends, and an issue of racism that is being propelled in segregated Celeste, Kentucky.
I adored this book and I loved it's approach to a tougher middle grade subject matter. The friendship between Callie and Wendell is so beautiful and raw, and I love their connection to this dog who ends up lost. In fact, how the story of the dog was handled was quite lovely, very mysterious, as well. There's an interesting ghost story and I won't spoil this, but it was such a fascinating storyline that's a part of the novel. SO GOOD.
And then there's the segregation plotline, which was well researched and really done well. The town hates the friendship between Callie and Wendell, and it gets to levels where it's so heartbreaking how they are treated. In fact, how racism effects the children just made me so sad at times. The ending is satisfying though, and it reminds readers about a point in time that was so horrible, and how even now how things still need to improve. This one is definitely worth powering through, as everything about it left me thoughtful. Check this one out!
This was a book that wasn't on my radar at all and it was sent to me unsolicited. I am a sucker for dogs being on the cover of books and this book is a few things: it's a story of a dog becoming loved, two children from different sides of the fence becoming friends, and an issue of racism that is being propelled in segregated Celeste, Kentucky.
I adored this book and I loved it's approach to a tougher middle grade subject matter. The friendship between Callie and Wendell is so beautiful and raw, and I love their connection to this dog who ends up lost. In fact, how the story of the dog was handled was quite lovely, very mysterious, as well. There's an interesting ghost story and I won't spoil this, but it was such a fascinating storyline that's a part of the novel. SO GOOD.
And then there's the segregation plotline, which was well researched and really done well. The town hates the friendship between Callie and Wendell, and it gets to levels where it's so heartbreaking how they are treated. In fact, how racism effects the children just made me so sad at times. The ending is satisfying though, and it reminds readers about a point in time that was so horrible, and how even now how things still need to improve. This one is definitely worth powering through, as everything about it left me thoughtful. Check this one out!
June 28, 2016
Both Callie and Wendell are curious about the old dog who's been wandering around their town of Celeste, Kentucky, but neither knows who the dog belongs to. An almost invisible boy named Jim knows the dog is his, but no one seems to realize Jim exists, perhaps not even Buddy, his dog who tried to save him on that day long ago. The trouble is, Jim can't really remember that day. He doesn't know why he keeps drifting back to the old cabin in the woods. And why does the other boy in the cabin keep trying to tell Jim that he's no longer alive? Callie is determined to solve the mystery of Buddy, as well as find the old cabin. Will Wendell be able to help Callie in her quest? And will the rest of the townsfolk be angry if Wendell, a white boy, is helping Callie, an African-American girl?
May 28, 2016
This book has all the elements to keep a young reader engaged. It does a great job of introducing racial inequality and how it can affect children. The plot has mystery and historical elements as well. Slavery is discussed in an effective but not brutal manner. I think it's just enough to get a reader interested in learning more about the history of slavery. I really like the character of Callie: strong, sassy, and smart.
July 25, 2016
Sometimes quiet stories are the strongest.
October 6, 2016
Wow!! I loved this book...I could barely put it down. It's everything kids love: dogs, ghosts, investigating! Very well-written and engaging!
March 18, 2017
"Sometime you have to trouble the water, Callie."
In Celeste, Kentucky there is "An uneasy peace between white and colored." But that is about to change. They have built a swimming pool, paid for with taxpayer's money, but open to whites only.
Into this turbulent time come two characters who play change agents without even really realizing it. Callie Robinson is an African American girl full of spunk and fire. Her policy is that "someone gave you grief, you had to give grief right back." Her parents warn her that this attitude can be dangerous in a segregated town, but she can't help it. It's just the way she is. She's also looking for a good mystery to solve. Ever since she submitted an article to Mr. Renfrow, the editor of the Weekly Advance, about thefts on Church Street, Callie has been itching to do more investigative reporting. Maybe the old yellow dog could lead her to a story. She just can't find him.
Enter Wendell Crow. His family lives on the outskirts of town. He spends his days fishing, looking at comic books at the drugstore and roaming around with King, his dog. Some day he would like to locate the cabin in the woods not far from the river that his Dad reminisces about. It is down by the river that he first spots the old yellow dog. It is also by the river that he meets Callie for the first time. Though their exchange is curt and somewhat uncomfortable for both of them, the next time Wendell sees the dog, he knows he must tell Callie. Together they go after the yellow dog and end up finding the cabin together. The cabin that Callie knows hid runaway slaves at one time who were waiting to cross the river. But when the two enter into the cabin, it's cold and they get an odd feeling about it. "... why won't your dog come in? I'll tell you why. He's feeling the same thing I am. Like this is someone else's place." They find the name "Jim" carved into the wall. Who could that be? Callie is certain that there is a connection between the old dog, the cabin and "Jim" and she is determined to find out what that connection is.
Enter Jim Trebble, the "almost invisible boy" and Thomas. Jim isn't quite sure how he arrived at the cabin. He just "woke up to find himself in the cabin." Thomas has tried to talk to Jim, but Jim doesn't seem to be able to hear him.
But people are watching. As Callie and Wendell walk around town together with the dog, people are noticing them together. Since when did a colored girl and a white boy walk down the street together? Is that really proper? Is it a coincidence that the cabin catches fire? Or is it a message?
In Celeste, Kentucky there is "An uneasy peace between white and colored." But that is about to change. They have built a swimming pool, paid for with taxpayer's money, but open to whites only.
Into this turbulent time come two characters who play change agents without even really realizing it. Callie Robinson is an African American girl full of spunk and fire. Her policy is that "someone gave you grief, you had to give grief right back." Her parents warn her that this attitude can be dangerous in a segregated town, but she can't help it. It's just the way she is. She's also looking for a good mystery to solve. Ever since she submitted an article to Mr. Renfrow, the editor of the Weekly Advance, about thefts on Church Street, Callie has been itching to do more investigative reporting. Maybe the old yellow dog could lead her to a story. She just can't find him.
Enter Wendell Crow. His family lives on the outskirts of town. He spends his days fishing, looking at comic books at the drugstore and roaming around with King, his dog. Some day he would like to locate the cabin in the woods not far from the river that his Dad reminisces about. It is down by the river that he first spots the old yellow dog. It is also by the river that he meets Callie for the first time. Though their exchange is curt and somewhat uncomfortable for both of them, the next time Wendell sees the dog, he knows he must tell Callie. Together they go after the yellow dog and end up finding the cabin together. The cabin that Callie knows hid runaway slaves at one time who were waiting to cross the river. But when the two enter into the cabin, it's cold and they get an odd feeling about it. "... why won't your dog come in? I'll tell you why. He's feeling the same thing I am. Like this is someone else's place." They find the name "Jim" carved into the wall. Who could that be? Callie is certain that there is a connection between the old dog, the cabin and "Jim" and she is determined to find out what that connection is.
Enter Jim Trebble, the "almost invisible boy" and Thomas. Jim isn't quite sure how he arrived at the cabin. He just "woke up to find himself in the cabin." Thomas has tried to talk to Jim, but Jim doesn't seem to be able to hear him.
But people are watching. As Callie and Wendell walk around town together with the dog, people are noticing them together. Since when did a colored girl and a white boy walk down the street together? Is that really proper? Is it a coincidence that the cabin catches fire? Or is it a message?
May 2, 2018
This book was based on history, and had many elements that intrigued me, including the South with the racial tensions and how various groups of people dealt with that. It also had ghosts, which was intriguing.
The story was told of 11-year old Callie, a black girl, and her interactions with people around her as she searches for the owners of a lost old dog. In some ways Callie seems almost adult in her observations, then childish in others, particularly in regards to racial tension - but enlivening all the same.
Also was a white boy named Wendell, about the same age as Callie, who helps in the quest to find the poor dog's owner.
Others appeared, such as Ray, a bigot with a violent tendency even though he is around the same age, and Orin, a man with a mission to improve the world and integrate his town, and our ghosts.
Wonderfully done story, with the only detractions being some of the language seemed out of place for the characters given their location and backgrounds. For example - colors - aquamarine is a lovely color but I can't picture an 11-year-old thinking a younger girl's bathing suit is a pretty shade of aquamarine.
The story was told of 11-year old Callie, a black girl, and her interactions with people around her as she searches for the owners of a lost old dog. In some ways Callie seems almost adult in her observations, then childish in others, particularly in regards to racial tension - but enlivening all the same.
Also was a white boy named Wendell, about the same age as Callie, who helps in the quest to find the poor dog's owner.
Others appeared, such as Ray, a bigot with a violent tendency even though he is around the same age, and Orin, a man with a mission to improve the world and integrate his town, and our ghosts.
Wonderfully done story, with the only detractions being some of the language seemed out of place for the characters given their location and backgrounds. For example - colors - aquamarine is a lovely color but I can't picture an 11-year-old thinking a younger girl's bathing suit is a pretty shade of aquamarine.
December 13, 2019
"Sometimes you have to trouble the water, Callie"
The setting is pre-civil rights Kentucky. There is an old yellow dog trotting around Celeste, Kentucky.
A small black girl named Callie is going to find out the story of the old yellow dog. With the help of a white boy named Wendell crow, they go scowering over the town looking for answers. This book overall is semi-interesting.
I say that mainly because the first part of the book is lengthy and hard to become interested in.
I like the book, don't get me wrong, but it is hard to stick with the book until the end. In the end, however, it is interesting and tells a great story. This book can also cause a laugh or two.
It does this through the two main characters. A young black girl named Callie and a white boy named Wendell Crow. These two have to work together to get what each wants. Wendell wants to find an old cabin his dad played in as a kid, and Callie wants to find the story of Buddy the dog. In this journey, they both learn a lot about the town and its mysteries.
Overall this book was good enough to get 4 stars. I would recommend this book for dog lovers and people who like to learn about how a town operated a long time ago. I highly recommend this book. Thank you for reading my review.
The setting is pre-civil rights Kentucky. There is an old yellow dog trotting around Celeste, Kentucky.
A small black girl named Callie is going to find out the story of the old yellow dog. With the help of a white boy named Wendell crow, they go scowering over the town looking for answers. This book overall is semi-interesting.
I say that mainly because the first part of the book is lengthy and hard to become interested in.
I like the book, don't get me wrong, but it is hard to stick with the book until the end. In the end, however, it is interesting and tells a great story. This book can also cause a laugh or two.
It does this through the two main characters. A young black girl named Callie and a white boy named Wendell Crow. These two have to work together to get what each wants. Wendell wants to find an old cabin his dad played in as a kid, and Callie wants to find the story of Buddy the dog. In this journey, they both learn a lot about the town and its mysteries.
Overall this book was good enough to get 4 stars. I would recommend this book for dog lovers and people who like to learn about how a town operated a long time ago. I highly recommend this book. Thank you for reading my review.
July 21, 2017
This quiet and powerful story is about a time in history when the smallest thing would cause a big problem. This story took place 1953 Kentucky, when segregation is still alive, and a white boy, Wendell, and black girl, Cassie became quick friends while following a mysterious old dog, even though they know they aren't supposed to be seen together. Dowell is able to build up the ending in an optimistic way and gives hope to the readers in a realistic way, which is why it is considered a magical realism genre book, with ghosts and imagination. The short chapters and detailed descriptions make it easy to read through even without illustrations.
Format: Chapter book
Format: Chapter book
July 24, 2017
In this work of magical realism, a young African American girl named Callie sets out to uncover the mystery surrounding a stray dog and an abandoned cabin in the woods in the town of Celeste, Kentucky. Set in 1953, during segregation, Callie crosses social boundaries when she develops an unlikely friendship with a young white boy named Wendell. By the end of the story, the duo finds that together they just might be able to accomplish what feels impossible. Without any illustrations, Dowell relies on descriptive language to convey the story to the reader. Form: Chapter Book.
June 5, 2022
I love this book so much it was so good it made me scream and made me happy and made me excited sad the amount of annotations that I put in this book is crazy this book also made me think about the segregation and how the world treated those people and I think it was such a good book it also had a bit of women's right sort of as well and I loved all the characters I loved Cali I love King I love you buddy which is Old Yellow Dog I also love wendell Jim Thomas all the characters were amazing this whole book was a masterpiece
March 19, 2018
Set in segregated Kentucky in 1953, Callie (African American) and Wendell (white) become unlikely friends. They want to solve the mysteries of the old dog that appeared in town, and the hidden cabin in the woods.
A fantasy, and a difficult read because there are two "ghosts" waiting to "cross over." You also understand the dog's thoughts.
Interesting combination of fantasy and historical fiction.
A fantasy, and a difficult read because there are two "ghosts" waiting to "cross over." You also understand the dog's thoughts.
Interesting combination of fantasy and historical fiction.
December 29, 2021
"Dogs" is the fourth subject heading listed, after "Race relations," "Segregation," and "African Americans," all of which apply, but in my opinion "Dogs" should have come first. Plucky heroine, surprisingly sensitive and compassionate hero, but Buddy, the dog... what a good boy.
May 7, 2017
Simply amazing.
October 16, 2017
this book wasn't the best i didn't like it. It wasn't very organized
August 3, 2018
Part historical fiction, part ghost story about friendship, segregation, predudice, and a lost dog.
November 25, 2018
Historical, sensitive, pre-civil-rights ~ Callie Robinson, Wendell Crow, Jim Trebble
September 5, 2021
Nice. A bit of adventure and mystery. I feel like I am saying this in every review I write. I need to vary this up.
June 16, 2022
Spoiler*** When the ghosts talk, their dialogue isn't in quotation marks. I didn't notice right away, and that means that it totally works.
September 5, 2017
The author does a good job of putting you in rural Kentucky in the 50's and 60's through the eyes of children with the support of adults. The book is listed as one for 9-13 year olds but good for a wider age group. The newspaper editor is a special, thoughtful person.
October 2, 2016
Trouble the Water introduces readers to two very brave characters who are trying to solve two mysteries: what is up with the cabin in the woods and where did that old dog come from?
In pre-Civil Rights Kentucky the colored folks and the white folks get along "okay" as long as no one troubles the water. When a young colored girl and a white boy team up to find the owner of an old dog, it leads them to troubled water of a different kind.
This story is historical fiction at it's best: a small slice of Americana. What really works here are the strong characters and the surprising changes in POV. We have some very surprising narrators here! I would rate this high interest and best for upper middle grades/early high school.
In pre-Civil Rights Kentucky the colored folks and the white folks get along "okay" as long as no one troubles the water. When a young colored girl and a white boy team up to find the owner of an old dog, it leads them to troubled water of a different kind.
This story is historical fiction at it's best: a small slice of Americana. What really works here are the strong characters and the surprising changes in POV. We have some very surprising narrators here! I would rate this high interest and best for upper middle grades/early high school.
September 24, 2016
This book is set in 1953 in Kentucky when blacks and whites don't mix, but Wendell who is white and Cassie who is black strike up a friendship while wandering around the woods and finding an old dog. I liked the part about their friendship and their wanting life to fair for the black residents of the town, but there is also a story line involving children who are ghosts and are connected to the history of the town. I thought that part detracted from the main story.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews