Product Description

In 1904, twelve-year-old Orphelia follows her dream by running away from home to join an all-black minstrel show headed for the Saint Louis World's Fair, and learns about her family's troubled past in the process.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1366686 in Books
• Published on: 2001-03
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 163 pages

From School Library Journal
Gr 4-7-Orphelia, 12, longs to go to the St. Louis World's Fair. When her idol, the marvelous Madame Meritta, brings her famous traveling minstrel show to the rural African-American community of Calico Creek, MO, looking for new talent, the girl sees her big chance. However, her mother seems set against her daughter's interest in music, allowing her only to play in church. After a minor mischievous incident, the child is not permitted to play in the talent show after all, and, indeed, may not be allowed to play the piano again. In despair, she runs away with the troupe, where she confronts the realities of life on the road, experiences the hard work behind the glamour, encounters racism, and learns about the financial uncertainties of show business. Orphelia also meets a mysterious man and discovers a secret about her family's past that may explain her mother's reticence to indulge her musical talent. While the mystery is fairly predictable, children will enjoy figuring it out with the determined, likable protagonist. Tate creates a strong sense of community, both in Orphelia's hometown and among the members of the minstrel troupe. Historical elements, such as the use of blackface in theater, are woven almost seamlessly into the narrative. The appendix offers additional insight into the history of minstrel shows, music, and African-American life in the early 1900s. A good read for any fan of historical fiction.

Robin L. Gibson, Perry County District Library, New Lexington, OH

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist
Gr. 5-7. This entry in the History Mysteries series is more adventure than mystery. It features an African American protagonist, Orphelia, who loves to sing and play the piano, despite her mother's objections. Orphelia sets her sights on winning a talent contest; the winner will get to perform at the St. Louis World's Fair. Before the talent show, however, Orphelia gets in trouble for poking around an abandoned building. Mama punishes Orphelia by forbidding her to take part in the talent show, and Orphelia responds by running away. Thus begins an on-the-road adventure that ends with Orphelia performing in St. Louis and also solving a painful family mystery involving the disappearance of an uncle who was lynched. Tate spins an enjoyable story that effectively portrays both the trials of a musically gifted child and the difficulties faced by African Americans in a largely segregated society. A "Peek Into the Past" chapter provides added background on the novel's 1904 Missouri setting. A smooth weave of entertainment and information. Denise Wilms
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Customer Reviews

Great History Mystery!!!
It's 1904, 12 year old,Orphelia Bruce has always wanted to sing and play her piano at the World's Fair in St. Louis and she wants to meet the famous Madame Meritta. She lives in Calico Creek, Missouri, and her mother finds it sinful to sing "Sassy" music and that only church music is acceptable. Her mother favors her daughter Pearl, who lies all the time, and her father just smokes all day. One day after she is forbidden to perform in the talent show she runs away and finds herself in one of Madame Meritta's coaches! There she gets acquainted with the strange and scraggly Reuben, Othello, and the glorious Madame Meritta herself. Orphelia finds out that show business is not as glamorous as she thought it would be and finds out spooky things about her family's past.

Great Book!
This book is about a 12 year old girl named Orphelia Bruce. She wants to be a star,but her mother won't let her perform anywhere except for in church.Orphelia's idol is coming to town to do a talent show named Madame Meritta.Orphelia can't perform because she had gotten into trouble earlier that day.So, Orphelia does what she has to do.That includes stowing away in in Madame's storage wagon.Pretty smart,huh? Anyway....oh, yes.She(Orphelia)gets to tag along with the show and even perform.She also unravles a secret to her family's past.LUCKY!!!!!!!

More Adventure Than Mystery
Twelve-year-old Orphelia Bruce lives in Missouri in 1904. She's musically gifted and wants nothing so much as to play piano and sing. Orphelia's straight-laced mother wants Orphelia to confine her music to church. Madame Meritta, leader of a traveling minstrel show, is scheduled to conduct a talent show when she passes through Orphelia's town on her way to a performance at the St. Louis World's Fair. Acts from all over the county are coming to compete. The best act gets to be part of Madame's show at the Fair. But, when Orphelia gets into trouble, her mother won't allow her to take part in the talent show. Frustrated and angry, Orphelia runs away to join Madame Meritta's troupe. As events unfold, Orphelia learns some things about her family she didn't know. She also learns something about life on the road. Will Orphelia get to play in Madame Meritta's show? Will she get back to her family? Is the show business life as glamorous as Orphelia imagines? The answers to these questions and several others are in "The Minstrel's Melody".

This "history mystery" is more about Orphelia's adventures on the road than it is a mystery. Still, some interesting questions are raised and answered in the course of this book. It also has the more general virtues of all the books in this series: it is a good snapshot of life in a historical time and place removed from the present day, it has some worthwhile things to say about life in general, and it features a good leading character that most kids will identify with.

We (my daughter and I) rate this, and the entire series, a solid four stars. If you look at our reviews of other books in this series, you may see five stars on them. We tried to change that after reasoning that, if the Harry Potter books rated five stars, then these (being not THAT good -- few others in this genre are) rated four, but we didn't succeed. With four stars, though, "history mysteries" are still good reading and we still recommend them. If you haven't read any, give 'em a try.