Reviewed by Danielle Feliciano for Reader Views (6/06)
Barbara Elmore’s book “Saviors of the Bugle” is a surprisingly compelling tale of one very determined 14 year old girl and her unwavering goal to save the community newspaper. Read more...
"What I thought was going to be a cute little kid book turned out to be a sensitive, powerful book for mature pre-teens...an excellent job addressing child abuse without getting into graphic detail...offers hope and an 'escape option' for young people who may be caught in that terrible situation. The characters seem so real -- kids and adults -- and it certainly will be of interest for a broad range of young people."
By Jim Stevenson
I feel like someone who has unexpectedly found a gold nugget. Saviors of the Bugle is a well-written and charming story. Read more
Wendy Wright is devastated when she hears that Moffat Corner's bi-weekly newspaper may have to shut down because one of its major advertisers is pulling their financial support and pressuring others to do the same. Enlisting the aid of best friends Libby and Riley, Wendy pledges to keep the paper open by offering their services as ad sales people and journalists, and their tactic seem to be buying the dying periodical some time. But then the subject of their first major article goes missing and what began as simple volunteer work takes a turn for the mysterious--and the dangerous!
Wendy was a pretty savvy young lady and had tremendous dedication and perseverance where her cause was concerned. I thought the main plot of "Saviors of the Bugle" was interesting, but was especially impressed by how deftly the author intertwined intense subplots involving difficult subjects such as child and animal abuse, grieving family members, and government corruption without making the book too heavy. Size-wise Wendy started out chubby, or at least thinking she was chubby but by the end of the book she realized she wasn't big at all. (Plus it didn't hurt when her mother stopped overfeeding her.)
Having characters named Wendy and Wanda within a breath of each other had me confused at times. (That'll teach me not to speed read!)
This really cute read for Middle Graders and Jr. High Schoolers provides an interesting way to get a look into the inner workings of journalism. It also presents an opening for discussions on civics, ethics, and other tough topics with teachers and parents.
MidWest Book Review:
Saviors Of The Bugle by Barbara Elmore is an enthusiastically written novel for young readers and features Wendy Wright, a 14 year old girl and her two best friends who decide to work together to save their town's local newspaper from bankruptcy. Yet hidden obstacles make the fight to save the Bugle complicated, in this charming story about giving one's all for something as precious as the community newspaper.
By Glenn Dromgoole August 17, 2003
Saviors of the Bugle, a novel by Barbara Elmore (Mud Pie Press, $6.99 softcover)
The twice-weekly newspaper in Moffatt Corner, the Bugle, is in trouble. Rumor is that it might have to close its doors because of a boycott by the small town’s leading merchant.
For most teenagers, that wouldn’t be classified as a crisis. But to Wendy Wright, it is. She’s been reading the Bugle since before she could even read. Her sister used to read it to her. Later, her sister wrote for the paper. Wendy keeps up with what’s going on in Moffatt Corner by reading the paper.
When the editor of the Bugle announces that the paper indeed will have to close its doors in a month for financial reasons, Wendy decides she needs to do something. She enlists her two best friends to help, and they go to the newspaper office to volunteer.
But what can three middle school students do?
Meanwhile, Wendy is facing other issues. She thinks she’s too fat. She lies to her mom. And there’s this abusive boy in her class who is making life miserable with his taunting.
Wendy and her friends, Libby and Riley, become the talk of the town, however, with their humorous account of a fashion show that ends in chaos when a stray dog makes off with a lady’s hat. The dog subsequently turns up missing, and Wendy fears the dog is being abused. She enlists the newspaper’s help in finding him.
In the process, Wendy and her friends find out a lot about themselves.
Author Barbara Elmore is a former newspaper editor in Waco. This is her third novel for young readers. Her two earlier books have won awards, and this rousing story should make it three in a row.
Glenn Dromgoole's Texas Reads column appears in the Abilene Reporter-News and other Texas newspapers.
Glenn Dromgoole writes about Texas books and authors. Contact him at glenndromgoole@cox.net.
By PAUL PERRY
Barbara Elmore's novel Saviors of the Bugle should be in the school library of every middle school in the country. The book is not only entertaining but like all good fiction it conveys an important message. That message has to do with child abuse. Elmore manages to delve into that serious and painful topic in a way that gets the message across very clearly while keeping it an an acceptable level for children, even nine or 10-year-olds.
The main plot of the plot, however, has to do with the determination of three children in their early teens to save the town's only newspaper, the Bugle, from obliteration. The newspaper is under attack by one of the town's richest men, Burnam Horton Sr., owner of the town's busy hardware store. He is also the father of Burnam Horton Jr., who is the class bully, saying "mean things almost every day." The junior Burnam is especially antagonistic toward the three main "saviors of the Bugle," Wendy, Libby and Riley.
Wendy, the leader of her little group, is chubby and concerned about that, considering herself both fat and unattractive. Self-perceptions aside, she is smart and assertive. Her friend Libby is pretty, but Libby's mother insists she wear clothes that an eight-year-old would think too young -- which causes Libby constant embarrassment. Riley, the male of the trio, is the brainy type. He looks and dresses in what would be called a nerdy manner.
The three young people decide to save the Bugle after Wendy gets a part-time job there. She knows Moffatt Corner needs a newspaper, and her two friends go along with her plan despite their better judgment. They, too, volunteer to work on the paper. This leads to the thickening of the novel's plot, involving a dog named Roomer that mysteriously disappears. Wendy finds him, putting herself in serious physical danger.
The abuser mentioned earlier is identified and eventually punished accordingly. All of these events become stories for the Bugle, leading to the revival of the paper.
The novel thus ends fittingly but not tritely. For any child from nine to 16, the book is a good read. Adults will find it entertaining and informative as well.
Paul Perry is a veteran, author, and instructor of English at San Antonio (TX) College. His books include A Room in Ueno, Street People, and Lost People.