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A review by jenbsbooks
Life, Loss, and Puffins by Catherine Ryan Hyde
4.5
I liked this a lot ... it may have been a little too close on the heels of "Counting by 7s" to feel super unique to me (also had a young girl, super smart ... although not THIS smart, orphaned, connecting with someone/others). Honestly, I think the "Book Club Questions" at the end (of the Kindle copy, not in audio) made me think about things, reflect back, delve deeper and appreciate it all more. There WOULD be quite a few things to discuss in a bookclub setting.
I'm not sure how much this will really stand out in my memory though. It always seems a little convenient to have such a gifted MC ... I don't personally know of any 13-year olds who are attending college. I'm sure there are a few child geniuses out there, but that just takes it a step back from "real" for me.
I went with the audio, very good narration, perfect voice for Ru ... while technically she is older and telling this story, not to us, the reader, but to two girls. Very conversational tone. Easy reading.
Loved the chapter headings, and that they were included in a Table of Contents in Audible and Kindle ... I don't have a hard copy to see if it has a TOC (so many don't these days). This is one where the TOC is enjoyable to glance over, remember what was in each chapter, and fun/clever little statements (Chapter 2: The Point of a Study on Pointing. Chapter 3: An Inch for the Flat-Earth Theory. Chapter 4: When a Toucan Met a Penguin. Chapter 9: Rusty Metal Kangaroo Pouches. Chapter 10: Clouds are Clouds, Which is not Always the Good News. Chapter 11: Shhhh-Don't Disturb the Universe...) See, aren't those fun to read? I love chapter headings, especially when they are original and nudge the memory as to what was in that chapter.
Content Concerns: No proFanity. Dealing with death. A non-binary character. Two underage kids taking off (in "Ban This Book" one mother wanted [book:From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler|3980] pulled from school library shelves because those kids ran off to the local museum! What would she think of this???)
I'm not sure how much this will really stand out in my memory though. It always seems a little convenient to have such a gifted MC ... I don't personally know of any 13-year olds who are attending college. I'm sure there are a few child geniuses out there, but that just takes it a step back from "real" for me.
I went with the audio, very good narration, perfect voice for Ru ... while technically she is older and telling this story, not to us, the reader, but to two girls. Very conversational tone. Easy reading.
Loved the chapter headings, and that they were included in a Table of Contents in Audible and Kindle ... I don't have a hard copy to see if it has a TOC (so many don't these days). This is one where the TOC is enjoyable to glance over, remember what was in each chapter, and fun/clever little statements (Chapter 2: The Point of a Study on Pointing. Chapter 3: An Inch for the Flat-Earth Theory. Chapter 4: When a Toucan Met a Penguin. Chapter 9: Rusty Metal Kangaroo Pouches. Chapter 10: Clouds are Clouds, Which is not Always the Good News. Chapter 11: Shhhh-Don't Disturb the Universe...) See, aren't those fun to read? I love chapter headings, especially when they are original and nudge the memory as to what was in that chapter.
Content Concerns: No proFanity. Dealing with death. A non-binary character. Two underage kids taking off (in "Ban This Book" one mother wanted [book:From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler|3980] pulled from school library shelves because those kids ran off to the local museum! What would she think of this???)