Gary D. Schmidt

A well written story highlighting a tragic incident in Maine around 1900. The story holds your interest throughout and is probably relatable as “the new kid “ struggling to fit in will always be a thing, though hopefully rarely with outcomes as bad as in this story. I think the descriptions of nature are the most effective parts of the book. Weaknesses include that I felt Lizzie was under utilized in the story and that the father’s character was hard to puzzle out. Did he change? Was he shamed? How did he come by his love for Darwin? Read it and see what you think… (mais)

Where do I even begin with this one? To be honest, I didn’t have very high hopes going into the book—this has one of the worst covers I’ve seen in a good while, and that did nothing to make me excited about reading the story. But once I got into it, though, wow. What a book!

This book deals with some very hard themes: Racism, grief, and having to learn to forgive and work through things when difficulties come our way, to name a few. Henry’s family weren’t particularly close, so that was an interesting element to track as the book progressed. This also had a fascinating thread of history woven through (I’d love to know if it has any basis in real history or not!), as well as being a rich story of growth and healing.

It’s hard to know what to say and what not to because so much feels like spoilers. I will say that I found Chay’s story heart-wrenching, and I loved Henry’s friend (even though he had a sad backstory). This book is about friendship, learning to support each other, grieving, and so much more. It was realistic, heartbreaking, and hopeful. I loved it, and am looking forward to reading other Gary D. Schmidt books—after reading three of his books over the last year, he’s become one of my new favorite authors.… (mais)

There are some books I find myself intending to read, but never getting around to it until I get a little push at some stage. I got my push with this book when Mom borrowed it from the library—what better time to read it than when we already have it? I’m so glad I did that; this has become my favorite middle-grade read of the year so far.

It took me no time at all to get into the story—and only a few pages to get to the point where I was trying to quell my laughter so I wouldn’t bother others while I read. Holling Hoodhood (which is such a clever name in itself) is the most perceptive, hilarious character, and some of the conclusions he comes to are…interesting, to say the least. The setting is delightful, and the glimpse into my grandparent’s time was fascinating. I loved Holling’s teacher, and his sister, hated his dad, and fell in love with middle-grade books all over again with this story.

In many ways, this isn’t an easy book. It deals with a somewhat dysfunctional family, the Vietnam War, and the hippie movement, and there’s a lot of growth in the main character and other characters throughout the story. This is a book about friendship, and how sometimes we have to sacrifice for others in order to make progress. And somehow, Schmidt pulls it all together into a gripping story.

I absolutely loved this story, and I’m looking forward to reading the sequel at some stage. Deep, yet lighthearted (you can’t miss the part about the rats in the ceiling!), flavored with another time but still relatable, this is a book I’d gladly share with my siblings—I suspect it would become a family favorite if we read it together. Highly recommended!… (mais)