Dance a Little Longer

Wood has a rare gift for transcending the ordinary and this heartwarming continuation of her earlier novels, A Place Called Sweet Shrub and The Train to Estelline , is no exception. The year is 1931 and the Arnolds have moved to Deere County in West Texas from East Texas; Josh is to be principal of the local school and Lucy will teach first grade. The Arnolds are not given a universal welcome; there is an element in town hostile to all educators and Josh's predecessor met with an unfortunate accident which resulted in his precipitous departure. But secure in their commitment to each other, to their son and to education, Josh and Lucy are determined to make a success of their new lives. Then a summer of grueling work clearing fields and preparing a new home gives way to unforeseen trials during the school year and a tragedy that threatens both their solid marriage and Lucy's sanity. Wood's narration is seamless, and she is especially masterful in creating believable characters, whether they're her protagonists or secondary figures like the befuddled athletic coach torn between two women or the illiterate curmudgeon who becomes Lucy's advocate. This is a touching, often humorous novel and a vivid portrait of the scorching solitude of West Texas. (Oct.)