ABOUT THIS BOOK

An 11 year-old boy moves with his parents who have been evicted from a family farm in Wisconsin to live near his maternal grandparents in central Illinois. There, he discovers abandoned mine shafts which he explores with his grandfather's dog that suffers from flatulence. A stranger in town, the narrator is keenly aware of his outsider status and takes refuge in family, the dog, and his secret place in one of the abandoned coal mine shafts cut into the bank of the river bottoms under his grandparent's house. His acumen as an explorer comes in handy when another student--son of the local banker--goes missing.

AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY

Mike Lockett, a professional storyteller who tours the USA and overseas annually, has performed in seventeen countries including Canada, France, Hong Kong, Iran, Japan, Ireland, Palestine, and South Korea. Lockett lives in Normal, IL. This is his twenty-seventh book.

REVIEWS

“A family pulls together in the face of the depression. Seen through the eyes of a young boy and his adventures with rattlesnakes, sink holes and a snorting old dog. Highly detailed and full of love for family.”

— Margaret Read MacDonald, author of over 60 books, award winning storyteller, renowned folklorist, called the grand dame of storytelling by School Library Journal (Des Moines, Washington)

“Who but the Normal Storyteller, Mike Lockett, would provide us with such an intense and intriguing character study of the 1930’s depression through the eyes of a 12 year old boy. The story touches on many of the customs and life routines that families lived through during the Great Depression. At the same time, the universal coming of age of Michael will be interesting and relatable to any middle school learner. A very enjoyable read!"

— Linda Farrugia, teacher, administrator, Senior Educational Consultant—RLJF Educational Resources, Inc. (Schaumburg, IL)

“This story offers a meaningful, intriguing look at the lives of people in a small Illinois town during the Great Depression through the eyes of young Michael Polonec. As he and his family navigate the hurt of uncertain times and the hope for a better future, Michael learns to trust his decisions and to move forward with courage when he is surrounded by darkness. Suspenseful and difficult moments are offset by comical situations, all offering a reflection of important lessons that are still valuable for all of us today.”

— Ruth Cobb, librarian, author and editor ( Bloomington, Illinois)

“This was a great read! I particularly liked the way the family worked to find normalcy in the ruins of their lives and succeeding. The characters of Michael, Sissy and Pal were vividly drawn with the depth of the rest of the characters thoughtfully sketched to add to the story.”

— Kathy Kniery, educator and storyteller (Palatka, Florida)

"Lockett's "straight-line' storytelling is impressive. His words swirl around the reader so well the scenes are focused and clear as he helps readers take a step-back-in-time in his masterfully told story. Like any great storyteller, Lockett's pacing and style has the reader ankle-deep in the story smoothly and effortlessly. The House on the Top of the Bottoms gives readers a rare opportunity to walk around a house of history, peeking through the windows and understanding the daily life during the Depression. Mike Lockett has created a wonderfully rich jigsaw puzzle right down to the exciting part where all the pieces come together to create a whole."

— Mike Anderson, Educator, Author, Storyteller (Jacksonville, IL)

TABLE OF CONTENTS