Take a photo of a barcode or cover
shayemiller 's review for:
The Astonishing Maybe
by Shaunta Grimes
The Astonishing Maybe is Grimes’ first middle grade novel. The book blurb describes it as “Pippi Longstocking meets My Girl and Waitress” — and while Pippi is funny, quirky, and light-hearted, if you’ve ever seen My Girl and Waitress, then you know to be prepared for heavy topics and an emotional experience.
12-year-old Gideon is new to Logandale, Nevada, and one of the first things he notices is his new neighbor, Roona. She is roller-skating up and down the sidewalk with rainbow-striped socks pulled up to her knees, a swimsuit on top of her clothing, and a cape on her back. Her eyes are focused somewhere down the road and never, not once, does she look over at him while his family unloads their car. He really wishes she would.
Gideon’s parents are ultra protective, not allowing him to even ride his bike across the street or to answer the home phone when they run an errand across town. On the other hand, Roona, is a free-range child who is able to travel the city freely, with little notice that she’s even gone. What Gideon also learns about Roona is that she has a heart for adventure, she still believes in magic and super powers, and she desperately wants her dad to come home because her mom really needs him.
While much of the story is devoted to Roona’s attempts to handle her mother’s depression, it also addresses issues of abuse, crime/prison, attempted suicide, and the difficult balance between obeying a parent’s firm rules while also looking out for a friend in need. Sadly, the painful childhood experiences discussed in this story are very real to non-fiction children, today, so this story will resonate with those who understand this pain all too well.
Personally, I was hooked on this story within the first few pages. Grimes absolutely nailed the 12-year-old voice through a fast-paced storyline with just a touch of magical realism. There were moments of laughter, a few tears, and some very believable flashes of anger — including one mention of “shit” (at least in the advanced copy), which I note only because it is a bit unusual for a middle grade novel (realistically, though, this word was used in my kindergarten classroom). Overall, I found The Astonishing Maybe to be a meaningful story that I enjoyed and would happily recommend. My sincere thanks to NetGalley and Feiwel and Friends for approving an e-ARC so that I could provide an honest review of this book.
For more children's literature, middle grade literature, and YA literature reviews, feel free to visit my personal blog at The Miller Memo!
12-year-old Gideon is new to Logandale, Nevada, and one of the first things he notices is his new neighbor, Roona. She is roller-skating up and down the sidewalk with rainbow-striped socks pulled up to her knees, a swimsuit on top of her clothing, and a cape on her back. Her eyes are focused somewhere down the road and never, not once, does she look over at him while his family unloads their car. He really wishes she would.
Gideon’s parents are ultra protective, not allowing him to even ride his bike across the street or to answer the home phone when they run an errand across town. On the other hand, Roona, is a free-range child who is able to travel the city freely, with little notice that she’s even gone. What Gideon also learns about Roona is that she has a heart for adventure, she still believes in magic and super powers, and she desperately wants her dad to come home because her mom really needs him.
While much of the story is devoted to Roona’s attempts to handle her mother’s depression, it also addresses issues of abuse, crime/prison, attempted suicide, and the difficult balance between obeying a parent’s firm rules while also looking out for a friend in need. Sadly, the painful childhood experiences discussed in this story are very real to non-fiction children, today, so this story will resonate with those who understand this pain all too well.
Personally, I was hooked on this story within the first few pages. Grimes absolutely nailed the 12-year-old voice through a fast-paced storyline with just a touch of magical realism. There were moments of laughter, a few tears, and some very believable flashes of anger — including one mention of “shit” (at least in the advanced copy), which I note only because it is a bit unusual for a middle grade novel (realistically, though, this word was used in my kindergarten classroom). Overall, I found The Astonishing Maybe to be a meaningful story that I enjoyed and would happily recommend. My sincere thanks to NetGalley and Feiwel and Friends for approving an e-ARC so that I could provide an honest review of this book.
For more children's literature, middle grade literature, and YA literature reviews, feel free to visit my personal blog at The Miller Memo!