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A review by sarahthereader
Dear Sweet Pea by Julie Murphy
4.0
Dear Sweet Pea is the first middle grade novel from Julie Murphy, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Dumplin’. This was such a funny and heartwarming book that I read it in one sitting. I heard about this on the @literally_reading podcast (another great bookish podcast that I look forward to each week).
Patricia “Sweet Pea” DiMarco’s parents are getting divorced, but want to impact Sweet Pea as little as possible so her dad buys a nearly identical house on the same street as her mom. Despite this, the change isn’t easy for Sweet Pea and she’s also having issues with her former best friend, Kiera at school. Thankfully she’s still friends with Oscar and has her fifteen-pound cat, Cheese. (Side note: this is such a great, hilarious name for a cat!)
The eccentric and slightly mysterious Flora Mae lives in the house between Sweet Pea’s parents. Flora is the author of the popular advice column Miss Flora Mae I. One day, Flora l asks Sweet Pea to forward her the letters for the column while Flora is on a trip. Sweet Pea is happy to oblige, but one day she recognizes the handwriting on one of the letters…what Sweet Pea does next sets off a chain of events that impacts everyone.
I love the way Murphy captures the friendship struggles often present for middle-school students. It’s a story full of heartache and love and I so enjoyed it. I really need to read Dumplin’!
Patricia “Sweet Pea” DiMarco’s parents are getting divorced, but want to impact Sweet Pea as little as possible so her dad buys a nearly identical house on the same street as her mom. Despite this, the change isn’t easy for Sweet Pea and she’s also having issues with her former best friend, Kiera at school. Thankfully she’s still friends with Oscar and has her fifteen-pound cat, Cheese. (Side note: this is such a great, hilarious name for a cat!)
The eccentric and slightly mysterious Flora Mae lives in the house between Sweet Pea’s parents. Flora is the author of the popular advice column Miss Flora Mae I. One day, Flora l asks Sweet Pea to forward her the letters for the column while Flora is on a trip. Sweet Pea is happy to oblige, but one day she recognizes the handwriting on one of the letters…what Sweet Pea does next sets off a chain of events that impacts everyone.
I love the way Murphy captures the friendship struggles often present for middle-school students. It’s a story full of heartache and love and I so enjoyed it. I really need to read Dumplin’!