shop online at www.missourivalleyshopper.com March 7, 2017 • Page 11 The Bookworm A Book Good To The ‘Bone’ “One Good Mama Bone” by Bren McClain, foreword by Mary Alice Monroe; © 2017, The University of South Carolina Press; 280 pages. ——— BY TERRI SCHLICHENMEYER You didn’t have a clue what you were doing. Even so, you’d muddle through, making things up as you went, making do. The result wasn’t, perhaps, what you’d hoped it would be but nobody’d ever fault you for your perseverance. Nobody, as in the new book “One Good Mama Bone” by Bren McClain, could say you didn’t try your best. When Sarah Creamer looked at her son, Emerson Bridge, she loved his dimples most. His mama had them, too, but Mattie hadn’t stuck around long enough to see her baby’s smile. She couldn’t live with what she’d done, having a fling with Sarah’s husband and all, so she shot herself just after giving birth, leaving Sarah with a newborn. For his part, Harold was happy to have a son, but he was gone now, too. In the end, it was just Sarah and the boy, whom she loved. Not having had much of a mama herself, though, she wondered if she was doing right by him. Emerson Bridge missed his Papa. But wasn’t a Mama enough? She gave Emerson Bridge everything he needed. She went without to make sure he was fed. She’d marched over to Mr. Dobbins’ ranch and bought her son a calf so he would have a buddy. She wished she could do more. Luther Dobbins hadn’t wanted to sell the steer to that Creamer woman. But he did, because he wanted to see admiration in his youngest son’s eyes. Luther loved LC, but the boy was nothing like his brother, Charles, a college man who made Luther proud. LC was weak; nothing disgusted Luther more. He wanted his son to be a man. He wanted LC to love him like he did when he was little. Sarah Creamer was glad to see Emerson Bridge happy again. He loved his steer, which he named Lucky, and they were lucky that Mr. Dobbins gave them the Mama Cow, too. The kind of devotion animals had, well, Sarah’d never seen such a thing. Besides, the Mama Cow was a good listener, which is what Sarah needed most … The first thing you may notice about “One Good Mama Bone” is that the prose is beautiful. Very much so, and that takes some getting used to. You won’t be sorry for it. Setting her novel in poverty-deep rural South Carolina in the early 1950s, author Brin McClain brings forth a story that aches and pulses, starting with Sarah, who becomes the mama she never had and is wrapped with worry about not having a map for raising a boy who’s not hers. This grasping hopefulness and the things she does for Emerson Bridge are so appealing that Sarah might’ve made a good solitary subject for a novel. Happily, McClain gives us more, in the form of a whole cast of wonderful characters. Even the loathsome Luther belongs solidly inside this perfect novel of love, parenting and doing the right thing. And here’s another something right: reading “One Good Mama Bone.” That’s what you should be doing. New At The Library Here’s what’s new at the Yankton Community Library this week: ADULT BOOKS • Calamity by Jo Jordan; Fiction • The Chilbury Ladies’ Choir by Jennifer Ryan; Fiction • A Conjuring of Light by V.E. Schwab; Fiction • The Crow Trap by Ann Cleeves; Fiction • Chimera by David Wellington; Fiction • The Mother’s Promise by Sally Hepworth; Fiction • The Orphan’s Tale by Pam Jenoff; Fiction • Robert Ludlum’s The Bourne Enigma by Eric Van Lustbader; Fiction • Rusty Puppy by Joe R. Lansdale; Fiction • 100 Plants to Feed the Bees by The Xerces Society; Nonfiction • Dakota Dreams: Women’s Stories of Passion & Perseverance by Karen Pearson; Nonfiction • Harvest: Unexpected Projects Using 47 Extraordinary Garden Plants by Bittner and Harampolis; Nonfiction • A Long Way Home by Saroo Brierley; Nonfiction • This Life I Live by Rory Feek; Nonfiction ADULT AUDIOBOOKS • Heartbreak Hotel by Jonathan Kellerman; Fiction • Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders; Fiction • My Not So Perfect Life by Sophie Kinsella; Fiction • The Prisoner by Alex Berenson; Fiction ADULT DVDS • Arrival • Captain Fantastic • The Edge of Seventeen • Groundhog Day • Hacksaw Ridge • Killing Reagan • Loving • Manchester by the Sea • Nocturnal Animals • Parenthood (Seasons 1-6) • Life, Animated (Nonfiction) YOUNG ADULT BOOKS • Piecing Me Together by Renee Watson; Fiction • Hillary Rodham Clinton: A Woman Living History by Karen Blumenthal; Nonfiction JUNIOR BOOKS • Dark Lord: The Early Years by Dirk Lloyd; Fiction • The Goblin’s Puzzle: Being the Adventures of a Boy with No Name and Two Girls Called Alice by Andrew S. Chilton; Fiction • Mysteries of Cove: Fires of Invention by J. Scott Savage; Fiction • The Pants Project by Cat Clarke; Fiction • Big Book of Building by Marne Ventura; Nonfiction • Cool Plastic Bottle and Milk Jug Science by Tammy Enz; Nonfiction • Electric Ben by Robert Byrd; Nonfiction • Incredible Snack Package Science by Tammy Enz; Nonfiction • Recycled Science: Bring Out Your Science Genius with Soda Bottles, Potato Chip Bags, and More Unexpected Stuff by Tammy Enz and Jodi Wheeler-Toppen; Nonfiction • Turning 15 on the Road to Freedom by Lynda Blackmon Lowery; Nonfiction EASY BOOKS • Abracadabra It’s Spring by Anne Sibley O’Brien; Fiction • Hank’s Big Day by Evan Kuhlman; Fiction • Hug This Book! by Barney Saltzberg; Fiction • A Perfect Day by Lane Smith; Fiction • What to Do With a Box by Jane Yolen and Chris Sheban; Fiction • Hello World: A Celebration of Languages and Curiosities by Jonathan Litton; Nonfiction • The Secret Project by Jonah and Jeanette Winter; Nonfiction • Six Dots: A Story of Young Louis Braille by Jen Bryant; Nonfiction • Wild About Shapes by Jeremie Fischer; Nonfiction Chess Sundays in March At Library The Yankton Community Library, 515 Walnut Street, invites the community to join the staff each Sunday in March for a game of Chess. The Yankton High School Chess club will be bringing their boards and their expertise to the Library from 2-4 p.m. March 12, March 19, and March 26. Whether you’re an old whiz looking for a partner or a complete newbie looking for a lesson, stop in to the Library and join in. There will be chess sets available for use, but feel free to bring your own as well. For more information, call the library at 605-668-5275 or email library@cityofyankton.org. Antique Auto Club Meets March 8 The Yankton Antique Auto Association will be holding its monthly meeting at 7:30 p.m. March 8 at The Center, 900 Whiting Drive, Yankton. There will be special speakers, Deb Overseth and Sandi Kramer, on the subject of the Feeding South Dakota and the Snack Pack program here in Yankton. If you would be interested in hearing about these two subjects, everyone is welcome to attend. If anyone would be interested in joining the club or if you have any questions, contact Wilbur Goehring at 6651717. Dancers Are Sought For ‘Dance For Tourism’ Event BLOOMFIELD, Neb. — Young dancers, group dancers, dance teams, couples and cheerleaders are being sought for the “Dancing for Tourism” event, set for Saturday, April 8, at the Bloomfield Legion Pavilion in Bloomfield, Neb. Dancers may select music and bring on an iPod or workable CD to the event. You must contact Laurie Larsen by March 6 at 402-640-2147 if you will be showcasing your group dances or competing in the couples dances. The “Dancing for Tourism” event will run from 2 p.m.-midnight and feature a full day of dancing and fun: • 2 p.m. — Starting time (may start at 1 p.m. if there is a great response to dancers). • 2 p.m.-5 p.m. — Showcasing Young Dancers (Dance Studios and Dance teams, bring your own music). • 5 p.m. — Adult dance groups country or other. • 6 p.m. — Dance competitions (Dancers select one song to dance to or a combination of songs not more than four minutes total time). Age groups/couples competition: — 12-18 Dancing to a Country Song — 12-18 Dancing to a Rock or Rock & Roll Song — 19-90 Dancing to a Country Song — 19-90 Dancing to a Rock or Rock & Roll Song If interest, there may be a Group Competition (four or more in group) and a Polka Dance Competition. MV Shopper 665-5884 MV Shopper150 CARS ON THE LOT OVER MISSOURI VALLEY In Print and Online! MISSOURI VALLEY COME SEE FOR YOURSELF! 2001 Ford F-150 XLT Crew Cab 4x4 2007 Chevy Avalanche #198925 2016 Ford F-250 2016?Ford?F-250? 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