A Handful of Time by Kit Pearson

Pearson, K. (1987). A handful of time. Ontario, Canada: Penguin Books Canada, Limited.

Summary:

Patricia is sent away for the summer to her aunt’s house while her parents settle their separation papers. She initially is hesitant with her relatives, since she is smothered by her aunts and uncles, and held in contempt by her cousins. One day she finds a watch that, when she winds it, takes her back to when her mother was twelve and lived at the lake house. She becomes obsessed with the watch and the past, finding that the past offers better insight to her family than her own interactions with them. When the watch finally breaks, Patricia must act on her own in order to come to terms with her family and her relationship with her mother.

Advisory Information:

-Themes:

a. Coming of Age: Patricia learns to become more self-confident in her own abilities as her knowledge about her family’s past grows.

b. Social Standing: Patricia’s mother, who is a TV Broadcast Journalist, is seen in a different social stratum than her aunts and uncles. Patricia and her cousins are very aware of these differences.

c. Adult treatment of young adults: The way Patricia’s mother was treated by her mother shows the double standard that was prevalent in the 1950s, where girls were expected to act a certain way compared to boys.

d. Family Relationships: Patricia’s parents treat her with a kind of neglect. Perhaps this is due to their separation or it could just be their parenting style. Whereas, Patricia notices that her Aunt and cousins have more of a “traditional” family dynamic.

e. Split Families: Patricia’s parents are separating, so as the reader we are able to see how it affects Patricia’s attitude towards family, her parents, and her own personality. She is constantly trying to hide from others.

Age Recommendation:

This book would be good for older intermediate readers such as 4th to 7th graders. Patricia is twelve in the book. The themes throughout the book are more for older readers who would be able to connect with Patricia’s experiences at the Lake.

Other Information:

Takes place in Toronto and Edmonton.

A Handful of Time was awarded the Canadian Library Association Book-of-the-Year-for-Children Award.

It is Kit Peason's second book.

Reaction:

The book’s portrayal of family relationships was interesting. While Patricia’s parents’ separation is an important issue, the author never overanalyzes Patricia’s feelings and takes a practical view over what kind of impact it will have on Patricia. It seems so straightforward that the reader does not have to make any analysis on character or events. I did, however, think that author did a good job making the ending realistic. While Patricia is more confident about herself, she stays grounded in the fact that she is still unsure what the future may hold for her.