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onalark's review
emotional
funny
lighthearted
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Dementia, Death, and Grief
Minor: Bullying
brogan7's review
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
4.0
This was another book I read with my 11-year-old son. We look for books that foster emotional intelligence without being traumatic, and that explore interpersonal relationships and life changes in a safe, interesting, entertaining way. This book served up on all these fronts.
The "intellectual interest" in this story was Gianna's twenty-five leaves identification project, which I actually thought was a bit boring by the end of it. There is nothing boring about leaves and trees when you're holding them yourself, or learning about their geographical distribution, but in the text, her much-delayed leaf project for became a bit belaboured, which made the story drag a bit.
Where Kate Messner shone in this book was the relationship between Gianna and her grandmother...her grandmother who is slowly losing her memory. It was so well done, and the grandmother was so kind and generous and loving to Gianna...and it was such a relief that the grandmother didn't die at the end! It was still super sad, because Gianna knows Nonna's in decline, but Kate Messner had the finesse not to end it with the grandmother dying.
A good read for middle grades.
The cover said an excellent read-aloud; I don't know about that, the language was fine but not so beautiful and the story was a bit longer than it needed to be, but for sensitive readers 9-12, it works well.
The "intellectual interest" in this story was Gianna's twenty-five leaves identification project, which I actually thought was a bit boring by the end of it. There is nothing boring about leaves and trees when you're holding them yourself, or learning about their geographical distribution, but in the text, her much-delayed leaf project for became a bit belaboured, which made the story drag a bit.
Where Kate Messner shone in this book was the relationship between Gianna and her grandmother...her grandmother who is slowly losing her memory. It was so well done, and the grandmother was so kind and generous and loving to Gianna...and
A good read for middle grades.
The cover said an excellent read-aloud; I don't know about that, the language was fine but not so beautiful and the story was a bit longer than it needed to be, but for sensitive readers 9-12, it works well.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Dementia, Death, and Bullying
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