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3.67 AVERAGE
3.67 AVERAGE
readingthroughtheages's review against another edition
5.0
Loved this book. It's going to be well-read by middle graders.
My favorite was the ending. It could have been predictable, but instead it was just perfect.
My favorite was the ending. It could have been predictable, but instead it was just perfect.
suey's review against another edition
3.0
Well told story about two friends who are each struggling with different issues.
khadijah3's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
jbrooxd's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars. Good story of two girls, two families, and the secrets that could pull them apart. There’s a lovely adoption angle to the story that I enjoyed. Also I loved the role Ana’s Babushka plays for both families.
gschwabauer's review against another edition
3.0
Pros: realistic friendship with enough conflict to be interesting but not so much that I just wanted them to quit being friends. The aftermath of parental abandonment is handled well. Adorable sibling relationship, with bonus friendship between the little boy and his sister's best friend, which is sweet. An actually nuanced portrayal of international adoption that honors the adopted character's "origin story" and her complicated feelings about that without invalidating the love she feels for her adoptive family and the significance of those relationships.
Cons: Yet another story in which a character has a chronic health issue but it turns out that the real problem was everyone else acting like she should in any way accommodate this issue instead of being Free To Live. The story continually tries to acknowledge that yes, her heart defect is real and she should be careful, but the actual narrative only ever rewards her for taking risks and in the end it's mostly just about how her mom needs to let go and our heroine can ice skate if she just Believes In Herself and I dunno, I was kind of frustrated by the whole thing. Also, seriously, what's with middle-grade setting up so many compelling and nuanced conflicts and then suddenly everything gets tied up in a neat bow over the last two chapters?
Cons: Yet another story in which a character has a chronic health issue but it turns out that the real problem was everyone else acting like she should in any way accommodate this issue instead of being Free To Live. The story continually tries to acknowledge that yes, her heart defect is real and she should be careful, but the actual narrative only ever rewards her for taking risks and in the end it's mostly just about how her mom needs to let go and our heroine can ice skate if she just Believes In Herself and I dunno, I was kind of frustrated by the whole thing. Also, seriously, what's with middle-grade setting up so many compelling and nuanced conflicts and then suddenly everything gets tied up in a neat bow over the last two chapters?
amandarawsonhill's review against another edition
5.0
Another beautiful, gentle story from Elaine Vickers about adoption, family, and friends. Even better than her debut (which I loved.)
ghostly_monstera's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
sad
fast-paced
4.0
A fantastic book about the weight of emotions and feelings you have when you're 10, and the struggle to express yourself and to be heard by the adults around you.
The way Katie wrestled with her adoption and the guilt of her curiosity was beautifully done. The weight of her past paired with the unknowns of her future left her feeling overwhelmed, especially when she felt alone, isolated, and not needed.
Ana’s desperate desire to piece her family back together—to make it her job to take care of Mikey, to make it her responsibility—explored what it is like exploring the world you are living in and have grown up in. When things change dramatically, Ana is forced to become extremely aware of her identity and what it is in.
Ana’s and Katie’s love and care for Mikey was a great addition as well as just Mikey himself.
The parental figures in books for this age bracket are typically not part of the story (a very broad generalization), so it was so nice to see that the parents and grandparent who stayed were part of the conversation, part of the growth, and part of the journey.
The friendship between the girls was so simple but so beautiful. Friendships are always hard but even more so at that age. And with everything Katie and Ana had going on in their separate lives, their friendship was bound to take a toll. But friendship isn’t just sharing bracelets or secrets; it’s about not giving up on each other—about throwing rocks at your friend’s window just to tell her that you are sorry and that you need her. These two girls had a beautifully realistic friendship that was messy and frustrating but rock solid in the end.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Abandonment
Minor: Bullying, Mental illness, and Blood