Lauren Wolk

Gr 4 Up—When Ellie and her family move to the mountains of Maine after suffering significant losses during the
Great Depression, Ellie's father is injured in an accident and becomes comatose. With natural skill, the protagonist
steps up to help her family, but conflict boils. Ellie tries myriad cures for her father to no avail, until she meets Cate,
a "hag" who is herself gravely injured. Subtle supernatural elements tint this rich, historical novel about family
relationships, friendships, and finding your own power.… (more)

Another winner from Lauren Wolk.

I definitely see how the main characters in Wolf Hollow correlate to the main characters in this. You have the bully, the hermit, the wise woman, and the precocious young heroine. But I don't think this is a repeat of Wolf Hollow at all. The setting, the plot, and the themes are substantially different. Sure, Wolk seems to be very interested in writing about men who have given up on society, especially the connection these isolated (by choice) men might find with a child who can draw them back in a bit. And, sure, both stories have a ruthless villain driving the plot. But I think the similarities end there.

This book surprised me in a lot of ways. I thought Crow was a boy until page 25 or so. I thought certain details about the characters would be revealed, but they never were, and I realized I didn't really need to know (e.g. Osh's and Crow's parents' origins). I thought the plot would hinge on finding treasure, but it really hinges on what happens after the treasure. It's not really about finding the treasure or discovering certain facts about the characters. It's about the impact these things have on a person. I was struck by how, at the end of the book, Crow and Osh and their life seem pretty unchanged. But, of course, they have both changed in important ways. Finding out about her biological parents has changed the way Crow sees Osh. That last line of the book killed me. "Osh means father." My heart swelled!

I was so into this book that I actually bought a copy when I couldn't finish my library copy in time (it was a library ebook, so it cruelly disappeared from my reader when the due date came). I work in a public library every day, so I don't spend a lot of money on books. But this was worth it.… (more)

I really loved this book. It's gorgeously written, full of wisdom, and hard to put down. The thing is, I'm not entirely convinced it's a children's book. Someone told me the author originally imagined it being marketed to adults but she was persuaded to turn it into a middle grade novel. Even if that's not true, it seems true. Like [b:The Catcher in the Rye|5107|The Catcher in the Rye|J.D. Salinger|https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1398034300s/5107.jpg|3036731] and [b:To Kill a Mockingbird|2657|To Kill a Mockingbird|Harper Lee|https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1361975680s/2657.jpg|3275794], this book is complex enough for any adult, but happens to follow the experiences of a young person. Does that in itself make it a YA or middle grade book? As I was reading I noted many places where the meaning was so subtle, I had to re-read it and then put the book down for a minute to ponder. It was also so heart-wrenching at times, so real, that tears sprang to my eyes. I'm not saying this book is "inappropriate" for children. I'm saying most children are probably not mature enough to really sink their teeth into it. The voice of the narration is that of an older Annabelle looking back on the year before she turned 12. It's not fully an 11-year-old's voice, though the narration accounts for what she perceived at the time, versus what she understands in retrospect.

Literature is literature, no matter who it's marketed to, but I feel like this will present a challenge to award committees. This is, without a doubt, one of the finest books I've ever read. But I can't imagine recommending it to many children. Teens, yes. Adults, definitely. It is my sincere hope that it finds a wide readership despite being sold as middle grade fiction. It explores prejudice against people who are perceived as "odd" and the difficult balance between doing what is right and what is expected. Annabelle's mother has some wonderfully powerful lines - the one about numbness and hurt comes to mind. Toby is a character that reminds me (and a lot of readers) of Boo Radley, but he also made me thing of [b:The Things They Carried|133518|The Things They Carried|Tim O'Brien|https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1424663847s/133518.jpg|1235619], especially because he carries those heavy guns on his back. Annabelle as a narrator reminded me a little of Briony in [b:Atonement|6867|Atonement|Ian McEwan|https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1320449708s/6867.jpg|2307233] because of her perspicacity and also her unusual position of power as a child in an adult world. Betty, though a villain, still inspires traces of sympathy. But, I have to admit, I thought mostly of Macaulay Culkin's character in the movie The Good Son (which I just googled and learned was written by Ian McEwan! Who knew?)

If you've made it this far and haven't read the book, I hope you do.… (more)