I'd read and enjoyed Cunningham's Maybe, a Mole, courtesy of BCer TexasWren, so I went looking for more Cunningham books. I found a copy of Burnish Me Bright and enjoyed it very much. I was pleased to find another copy of the book, only slightly battered, at a local Annie's Book Stop, as I can copy my previous comments thusly:

This is the bittersweet tale of a young mute boy who's trying to survive in a small village where anyone who's different is considered beyond the pale. He's befriended by an aging actor and mime who starts to teach him his craft, and for a while not only is the boy happier but he finds he can use his new skills to win over some of the village bullies. But this state of affairs doesn't last...

This book's the first of three about Auguste, the mute boy; the other two are Far in the Day and The Silent Voice.

And I'll definitely be looking for more of Cunningham's works as well. Her prose is lovely, and her stories aren't as simple as they might seem.

RELEASE NOTES:

I left this book on a bench in the memorial garden of the USS Albacore Park/Museum, at around 3 pm, before touring the submarine - a fascinating (if claustrophobic!) experience. Hope the finder enjoys the book!

We just found the book. Plan on reading it and releasing very soon! What a an awesome way to share the love of books!

CAUGHT IN PORTSMOUTH NH USA