Picture books

A long trip, a packing blip, and numbered pages that flip

~ Janet Dawson ~ Leave a comment

Jonty Gentoo: The Adventures of a Penguin by Julia Donaldson, illustrated by Axel Scheffler (Scholastic Press, 40 pages, ages 4-8). Although Jonty has a happy life at the zoo, he’s intrigued by the stories his aunts tell him about life at the South Pole. One night, Jonty slips through a hole in the fence and heads off on a polar adventure. He sees some poles, like a flagpole and a tent pole, but they don’t seem quite right. Finally, he discovers the ocean and swims until the water starts to grow cold. He finally makes it to the pole…only to learn that it’s the North Pole! A tern offers to guide him south, and they set off together, the tern flying and Jonty swimming. Some scientists on a boat help him make it through the last leg of his trip, and Jonty is thrilled to discover a place with penguins galore. He soon finds his place among the gentoos, and the tern is able to notify his aunts that Jonty has found happiness at the South Pole. Includes additional information about Arctic terns and Gentoo penguins.

This rhyming story from the creators of The Gruffalo has catchy text and colorful cartoon-style illustrations that beautifully portray the landscapes and animals that Jonty encounters as he travels around the globe.

A Moving Story by Beth Ferry and Tom Lichtenheld, illustrated by Tom Booth (HarperCollins, 40 pages, ages 4-8). Pete and Tiny may be big bears, but they’re gentle movers who take extra care with their clients’ possessions. So when the littlest panda discovers that her pet turtle has gone missing, the bears know what they have to do: unpack everything they’ve just loaded onto the moving van. The turtle is nowhere to be found, although the panda parents appreciate the effort, and the truck is repacked. As Pete and Tiny start to drive away, they hear a sound coming from their lunchbox. it’s the turtle! The bears get a big hug from the little panda, “because nothing and no one was too big to wrap up tight and treat just right.”

The team behind Stick and Stone have created another feel-good story that emphasizes kindness and going the extra mile that will prove reassuring to kids facing a move. Pete and Tiny have an admirable work ethic, and the whole packing/unpacking/packing again ordeal is rendered perfectly with illustrations depicting various perspectives including an aerial view of everything unpacked.

Animal Countdown by Laura Vaccaro Seeger (Neal Porter Books, 32 pages, ages 3-8). Page 1 has the word “ten” printed on a background that looks like a watery animal habitat. A window cut on a flap of the facing page shows a small rectangle that looks like the number 10. Lift the flap to find ten sea otters. The countdown continues to one, introducing numbers, number words, and ten endangered animals. End matter gives additional information about each one, as well as a list of five additional resources.

Seeger’s work is always beautiful and creative, and kids will have fun trying to figure out the animals that are hiding behind the flaps. Unfortunately, the flaps make me think the book itself may become an endangered species in a public library.

Home for the holidays

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Merry Christmas, Zoo by Lisa Eickholdt and Lola M. Schaefer, illustrated by Laura Watkins (Chronicle Books, 40 pages, ages 3-8). Inspired by “The Night Before Christmas,” this rhyming story shows how the zookeepers prep for Christmas, making gifts for the animals and decorating the zoo. When Santa arrives, they’re ready, and they help him load up his sleigh. An aerial view shows the right jolly old elf making deliveries, and then the action zooms in on the animals enjoying their presents. At the end of the night, Santa calls out a “Merry Christmas, Zoo!” before flying on his way. Includes information about how zoos create holiday gifts for animals designed to stimulate them both physically and mentally.

Add this adorable book to your holiday reading list. Kids will love seeing the illustrations filled with all their favorite animals and will be curious to say what they get for gifts. The end matter adds interesting information and invites readers to volunteer or donate to their local zoo. Just to add a Grinch/Scrooge note, zoos always make me a little sad, no matter how festive the occasion.

An Anishinaabe Christmas by Wab Kinew (Onigaming First Nation), illustrated by Erin Hill (Tundra Books, 48 pages, ages 4-8). As Baby and her family head to the Rez to celebrate the winter solstice, she learns some Anishinaabe words and how they help describe their holiday celebration. Kookom and Mooshom (grandparents) are waiting on the Rez. Giiwedaa means “let’s go home,” and home can be a place you live now, or a place you came from, like the Rez is for Baby’s parents. Miigiwe means “giving away”, something that the Anishinaabe people celebrate when they give each other gifts. When Baby and her parents finally arrive, everyone gets out drums and goes outside to sing a song about home, family, and wintertime. Includes an Anishinaabe glossary and a note about how Anishinaabe people include both Christmas and solstice traditions in their winter celebrations.

This affectionate family story introduces a few words and cultural practices of the Anishinaabe, including those around December holidays, and does a good job explaining how home can mean different things. I wish Baby had been given a slightly less infantilizing name, as she was old enough to have made a gift for her grandparents at school.

Dragon into Monday morning

~ Janet Dawson ~ 1 Comment

Bakery Dragon by Devin Elle Kurtz (Knopf Books for Young Readers, 48 pages, ages 4-8). Ember loves gold, but he’s too small to terrorize villagers into giving it to him like the other dragons do. He’s excited when he sees a glimmer of gold in the distance until it turns out to be street lamp. Discouraged, he falls asleep, but when a raging storm hits, a kind baker invites him inside. Ember proves a natural at kneading dough and shaping loaves, and the baker rewards him with a sack of fresh bread. Back home, the other dragons can’t believe how good bread tastes and offer Ember a share of their gold if he can get them more. The whole group of them show up at the baker’s door, led by Ember, and pour out a bag filled with their stolen gold. Before long, dragons and humans are happily living side by side, with everyone having enough gold AND bread.

This is some good old-fashioned storytelling with enchanting illustrations that feature an adorable little dragon and mouth-watering pictures of bread. I can’t wait to share this with kids; it would make a great gift or addition to any library. I did feel like the baker was overlooking a sustainable source of energy to bake her bread with dozens of fire-breathing dragons showing up on her doorstep.

Dragon for Hanukkah by Sarah Mlynowski, illustrated by Ariel Landy (Orchard Books, 40 pages, ages 4-8). Hannah tells readers about the gifts she’s gotten so far for Hanukkah: a dragon named Nerry from her parents on the first night, a rainbow from Bubbie on the second night, a full treasure chest from her aunt on the the third. Now it’s the eighth night and time to clean up for the guests who will soon be arriving. As Hannah tidies up her room, readers can see that the dragon is stuffed, the rainbow was created with markers, and the treasure chest is full of Hanukkah gelt. Cleaning up produces some toys to donate to others, all part of the eighth night–the most magical night–of Hanukkah. The last two pages have Nerry asking questions that Hannah answers to give readers more information about the holiday.

A fun Hanukkah read-aloud just right for younger kids, who will enjoy seeing the ordinary objects in the illustrations that Hannah has created magical stories about. The additional information at the end is an enjoyable way to learn more about Hanukkah.

Some creatures that are great…and small

~ Janet Dawson ~ 1 Comment

Towed by Toad by Jashar Awan (Tundra Books, 48 pages, ages 3-7). Toad loves to help others as he drives around in his tow truck, helping animals who are having car troubles. He’s so busy that he doesn’t have time to eat the breakfast or lunch that Pop makes for him. But when Toad’s own truck has a breakdown, Toad realizes something: he needs to ask for help. And Pop is only too happy to come to the rescue with his own truck. “Everyone needs help sometimes. Even the helpers.”

From the clever play on words in the title to the satisfying message at the end, this little book is a winner that will be enjoyed by young readers everywhere. There’s lots of humor in the illustrations, with funny animal names and various car-related situations that are sure to bring a laugh.

How to Draw a Brave Chicken by Ethan T. Berlin, illustrated by Jimbo Matison (Hippo Park, 40 pages, ages 4-9). After the narrator draws a chicken, he decides the chicken looks scared. Drawing her some friends, including a knight, makes her braver, but when a dragon is drawn, she gets nervous again. Drawing a rocket sends her to the moon, but she and her friends eventually decide they prefer life on Earth. A hand-drawn waterslide sends everyone back home again, where they celebrate with a party full of scary creatures…all drawn by you, of course!

This hilariously zany story is interspersed with step-by-step drawing instructions that will keep readers busy for hours. For more fun, get the first book, How to Draw A Happy Cat (2022)

How to Staycation Like a Snail by Naseem Hrab, illustrated by Kelly Collier (Owlkids, 40 pages, ages 4-7). Snail has tried traveling and decided he prefers to stay home. He and his friend Stump (a tree stump) decide to have a stay-at-home vacation…a staycation! They notice with a greater appreciation the sights and sounds around them. Just as they’re starting to think they’ve seen and heard it all, a couple of fluffy traveling seeds drop in. Snail and Stump enjoy sharing the sights with their new friends, convincing the seeds to put down roots and join them.

This is another second in a series; I missed How to Party Like a Snail (2022), and I’m glad I caught up with Snail for his staycation. The story is cute, with gentle humor and cartoon bubble dialogue, and it could serve as a prompt for kids to write about what they could do on their own staycations.

Stories of food and family

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The Table by Winsome Bingham and Wiley Blevins, illustrated by Jason Griffin (Neal Porter Books, 56 pages, ages 4-8). A child tells the story of their family as they gather around the table to eat, dye eggs, and sew a dress. The narrator reads to Meemaw, who can’t read but is an excellent cook. When Papa loses his job in the mines, the family is forced to move to a place that’s too small to fit the table. Left by the side of the road, the table gets a new home when another family drives by. Daddy is a carpenter, so he’s able to fix it up. As they sit down to dinner, the narrator tries to imagine the stories that their new-old table could tell.

A poignant story about two families–one White and one Black–who share the mundane but loving details of their lives. It would make a good book to share around Thanksgiving, with its emphasis on food and family. I loved the illustrations, which only portray the hands of the characters as they gather around the table, but readers may need some inferencing skills to understand what is going on.

Noodles on a Bicycle by Kyo Maclear, illustrated by Gracey Zhang (Random House Studio, 40 pages, ages 4-8). The team that brought us The Big Bath House has created another story from Japan, this time about kids watching the amazing deliverymen who work for the noodle shops, carrying trays stacked high with china bowls full of steaming noodles. Zipping through traffic, they never lose their balance, setting up friendly rivals between deliverymen from different shops. The kids try to emulate them, stacking trays with bowls full of water, but inevitably suffer spills. At the end of the day, Mama calls the noodle shop, and a few minutes later the doorbell rings–Papa! Turns out he is one of the deliverymen, and he’s ready for a soak in a hot tub before wearily tucking in the kids and heading for bed. Includes an author’s note and photos on the front and back endpapers of Tokyo deliverymen in 1937 and 1959.

This slice-of-life story from the mid-twentieth century celebrates the workers who adroitly performed the hot, hard work of delivering noodles to the hungry residents of Tokyo. I’m glad they included two photos to help readers really appreciate the skill involved. The author’s note captures it perfectly when she says, “Of course, there are practices worth improving, but there are also things worth remembering and celebrating.”

Hair-raising stories

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Crowning Glory: A Celebration of Black Hair by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by Ekua Holmes (Candlewick, 32 pages, ages 4-8). Starting with “five queens” (five Black women, who, in 2019, won the titles of Miss America, Miss USA, Miss World, Miss Universe, and Miss Teen USA ), the rhyming text and vibrant illustrations celebrate Black hair. Cornrows, ‘fros, locs, puffs, ponytails, and more–all get their moment to shine. “To heed beliefs or cheer gray days,” women cover their hair with hijabs, geles, headwraps, and hats. “A ritual of hand and heart,/each stunning head a work of art./Each royal coil coaxed by kin./Each strand a story without end.” Includes a glossary.

I hope this beautiful book will be considered for both Coretta Scott King and Caldecott awards. I always love Ekua Holmes collage illustrations, and these are gorgeous. The focus is on female hair, so this could make a good companion to read with Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut by Derrick Barnes, which features a barbershop.

My Hair Is a Book by Maisha Oso, illustrated by London Ladd (HarperCollins, 32 pages, ages 4-8). This book looks similar to Crowning Glory, and it has gotten at least two starred reviews. I’ve had it on hold at the library for weeks now, but I haven’t been able to get a copy. Now that I’m finally giving up, it will probably be on its way to me tomorrow!

Knots by Colleen Frakes (HarperAlley, 240 pages, grades 4-7). Nervous about starting at a new school, Norah tries to give herself a new look by first bleaching her hair, then dyeing it blue. It turns out surprisingly well, and school gets off to a good start. But a few weeks in, a boy shares with the class that he is mostly responsible for his two younger sisters because his parents aren’t home much. Norah and some of the other kids get pulled out of class by the police as witnesses, and the boy and his sisters end up getting sent to live at their grandparents’ house. When Norah’s mom and younger sister move across the state for a new job, Norah finds herself feeling neglected by both parents and worries that something similar will happen in her family. Another attempt to change her hair turns out to be disastrous, and her disheveled appearance makes a caring teacher start questioning Norah’s home life. When the family is reunited for the holidays, they finally start communicating about what’s going on, and, while things are still far from perfect, some changes are made that help get them back on track. Includes an author’s note about incidents from her own life that inspired the story and the evolution of the book.

Raina Telgemeier fans will enjoy this fictionalized graphic novel memoir that explores family issues, as well as school and friendship concerns. The hair dyeing is somewhat symbolic of the changes Norah and her family are going through, but also includes a reassuring message that with hair and life, there are always chances for a do-over. The scene with the police pulling the kids out of class as witnesses was kind of jarring; yes, teachers are mandated reporters, but hopefully such methods are not used to find out what’s going on at kids’ homes.

A ballplayer who dared, a poet who cared, and a sanitation worker who repaired

~ Janet Dawson ~ 1 Comment

Call Me Roberto! Roberto Clemente Goes to Bat for Latinos by Nathalie Alonso, illustrated by Rudy Gutierrez (Calkins Creek, 40 pages, grades 2-5). Roberto Clemente loved playing baseball as a boy in Puerto Rico and was thrilled to be scouted by the MLB. After a disappointing season in Montreal, he joined the Pittsburgh Pirates, where he became an All-Star and helped lead his team to the World Series in 1960 and 1971. He won twelve Gold Gloves, was the 1966 National League MVP, and the 1971 World Series MVP. Despite his success, Roberto often faced racism and discrimination. He corrected those who tried to call him Bob and spoke out against the segregation he endured during spring training in Florida. On September 30, 1972, Roberto became the 11th MLB player and the first Latino one to reach 3,000 hits. Includes notes from the author and illustrator, glossary, photos, bibliography, and timeline that tells about Roberto’s death in a plane crash on his way to deliver humanitarian aid to Nicaragua in December of 1972.

I’m ashamed to say that I thought Roberto Clemente was Dominican and that the only thing I knew about him was his death in a plane crash. This biography emphasizes his greatness in baseball, making clear the discrimination he faced and how he fought for justice for himself and other Black and Latino players. The illustrations by Caldecott honoree Rudy Gutierrez are beautiful and deserve a look from this year’s Caldecott committee. The author’s note adds a personal story, since she is a Cuban American sportswriter who has faced some of the same issues Roberto Clemente did.

The Soldier’s Friend: Walt Whitman’s Extraordinary Service in the American Civil War by Gary Golio, illustrated by E. B. Lewis (Calkins Creek, 40 pages, grades 2-5). A look at a lesser-known part of Walt Whitman’s life, when he served as a volunteer nurse in the Civil War. After his brother was wounded, Walt traveled from New York to Virginia to visit him in the hospital. He was so moved by the soldiers he saw that he decided to move to Washington, DC to devote himself to caring for them. Most of what he did was simple: bringing treats, helping men write letters, talking with them, or just listening. Although he was a fervent supporter of the Union cause, he cared equally for soldiers from both sides. Lines from Whitman’s “Leaves of Grass” are woven into the story. Includes photos and additional information about Walt Whitman and his Civil War experiences, along with a list of resources.

This touching story of Walt Whitman’s kindness and caring seems particularly relevant in today’s world when it’s easy to feel like it’s necessary to take sides or that one person can’t make a difference. The author notes at the end that Whitman may have visited as many as 25,000 soldiers, and while he couldn’t influence the outcome of the war, he found a way to express caring and kindness. Except for the lines from “Leaves of Grass,” there’s almost no mention of Walt Whitman’s poetry; it would have been nice to acknowledge his literary contributions in the story or back matter.

Gifts from the Garbage Truck: A True Story About the Things We (Don’t) Throw Away by Andrew Larsen, foreword by Nelson Molina, illustrated by Oriol Vidal (Sourcebooks Explorer, 40 pages, grades 1-4). Nelson Molina was always a collector. His mostly Puerto Rican neighborhood in East Harlem yielded all kinds of treasures. His mom showed him how to turn scrap wood into birdhouses, and Nelson enjoyed fixing up cast-off toys for his younger siblings. As an adult, Nelson became a New York City Sanitation Worker, where he continued to find and fix up things that he found in the trash. He started displaying them in the locker room of the sanitation garage, eventually expanding into other parts of the building. Since retirement, Nelson has opened a museum where he can display his treasures, showing the huge amount of stuff that we put into the trash. Includes tips for reducing, reusing, recycling, and rethinking, as well as photos of Nelson with some of the exhibits from his museum.

Kids will be inspired to look at trash differently, maybe thinking twice before they throw something away. I loved the scene at Christmas where young Nelson happily gives his siblings the toys he’s fixed up for them. Being something of a minimalist, though, the photos of his cluttered museum convinced me that his way of life is not for me.

Indigenous history

~ Janet Dawson ~ 1 Comment

Stealing Little Moon: The Legacy of the American Indian Boarding Schools by Dan SaSuWeh Jones (Scholastic Focus, 304 Pages, grades 5-8). Dan SaSuWeh Jones tells the story of his family’s history with the Chilocco Indian Agricultural (boarding) School, beginning with the forcible capture of his grandmother Little Moon There Are No Stars from the Ponca reservation in 1885 at the age of four. The Chilocco school, run by Quakers, did not condone the physical abuse found at other Indian boarding schools, but it did use strict, military-inspired practices to force the students to assimilate to white culture. Little Moon There Are No Stars, renamed Elizabeth, stayed on for several years after her graduation to work as a school matron, and sent her own daughter there as well. By the time the author’s sister attended the school in the 1950’s, there had been many changes, becoming a vocational school that provided a positive experience for many (although certainly not all) of the students. The 1960’s and 1970’s saw political movements that helped the school and its students embrace their various cultures and languages. While the author didn’t attend the school, he worked there after it closed in 1985 as part of a maintenance crew trying to preserve the buildings and grounds. In his final chapter, he writes of the appropriateness that those buildings have crumbled, leaving the land to its natural state, a metaphor for the enduring nature of Indigenous cultures that have survived so much trauma yet still continue to live on. Includes an introduction by Denise K. Lajimodiere (Turtle Mountain Band, Chippewa), photos throughout the text, and a long list of additional resources.

Reading this book caused me to reflect on how much this blog has educated me and changed my views on American history. I’m not sure I knew anything about Indian boarding schools ten years ago, but I’ve learned from children’s books over the years, and this one added a lot to that knowledge. It’s masterfully written, weaving together a personal family memoir and the history of boarding schools in North America. The author writes unflinchingly about a multitude of abuses and deaths of children at many different schools, while at the same time acknowledging that some students had positive experiences and learned to embrace their heritage, particularly in the later years of the schools’ histories. The final chapters give hope that some of the many, many crimes and trauma committed against indigenous people are finally being at least brought to light and possibly, in some cases, addressed and healed. There are some horrific descriptions of child abuse, so be aware of that element when sharing this book with kids. I hope this book will be considered for awards, especially by the Sibert committee.

This Land: A History of the Land We’re On by Ashley Fairbanks, illustrated by Bridget George (Crown Books for Young Readers, 40 pages, ages 4-8). “This is my house. I live here with my family,” the narrator begins. “Before us, another family lived here.” Other families lived there, too, but further back in time, a whole community lived on the land before they were forced off by Europeans, something that happened all across the country. The narrator has a friend who is Anishinaabe (like the author and illustrator), and he and his grandma remind the boy of the Indigenous people who once lived there: their food, their songs, and mostly, the way they considered the land to be sacred. Now, as he travels around the U.S. with his family, the boy learns about different Indigenous groups who lived in those places and remembers how they once honored the land they were on. Includes additional information about land acknowledgement, discussion questions, and ideas for learning more about local Native people.

This straightforward story reminds readers to learn about the history of the land they now call home and recall that it once belonged to people who were forced to leave their homes. I really liked how the book acknowledges those who lived on the land of well-known sites like Mount Rushmore and New York City. I read in a review that the title calls to mind the controversy around the song “This Land Is Your Land,” a song that is considered problematic by many Indigenous people. I wasn’t aware of this and was reminded once again of how much I have learned from reading books for this blog.

Picture books to share

~ Janet Dawson ~ 4 Comments

Mr. Fox’s Game of “No!” by David LaRochelle, illustrated by Mike Wohnoutka (Candlewick, 40 pages, ages 4-8). Here’s how Mr. Fox’s game works: every time he asks a question, you have to say “no,” or you will be sent back to the beginning of the book. Ready to play? Better not say yes! Do you want a taste of Mr. Fox’s scrumptious-looking sundae? A free trip to Hawaii with a million billion dollars thrown in? If you’re still in the game, how about this: are you stronger than a baby? Are you wearing underwear? What do the letters Y-E-S spell? If you make it all the way to the end of the book, there’s a final question: have you ever read a funnier, better written, more beautifully illustrated book than this one?

I’ve just been delighting first graders by reading them David LaRochelle and Mike Wohnoutka’s book, See the Cat: Three Stories About a Dog, and I look forward to trying this one out on them. It’s such a clever idea, and just the right humor for kids. I’m not sure about going back to the beginning of the book if they make a mistake…I might just make it a game where Mr. Fox gets points for the wrong answer.

First Day, Hooray! A Book of School Day Feelings by June Sobel, illustrated by Nabila Adani (Clarion Books, 40 pages, ages 4-8). Kids run into school on their first day with “backpacks filled with school supplies, but something else hides in disguise.” What’s hiding? Big feelings, shown with colored fonts in the text and colorful creatures surrounding different kids. Whether you’re feeling happy, scared, angry, or brave, it helps to name the feeling and to take a deep breath when needed. At the end of the day, kids pack up their backpacks–and their feelings–and head home with one more emotion: hooray! Includes a note from Yale early childhood professor Craig S. Bailey about ways to use this book to help kids explore their emotions.

I’m taking this book to school with me on Monday to share with our school counselors. It’s a simple but effective exploration of different emotions children (and adults) may experience, helping them to handle them better by identifying them. The illustrations of a diverse student body and fun magical creatures associated with the different feelings will appeal to kids as well.

War

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A Star Shines Through by Anna Desnitskaya (Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, 40 pages, grades 1-5). “We used to live in a big city,” the narrator begins. Her family kept a star-shaped lamp in their apartment window, which would welcome her home at night. But then war came, and she and her mother (the father disappears without explanation) flee to another country. Everything is new: the language, the food, the apartment, even her mom and her. One night, Mom brings home a package with cardboard, scissors, and glue, and together they make a cardboard star with a light inside. Putting the lamp in the window marks a turning point, and soon their new country is feeling more like home. Includes an author’s note telling how a one-week family vacation in Cyprus turned into a refugee situation when Russia invaded Ukraine.

The author packs a big punch with just a few words on the beautifully illustrated pages of this book. It felt a little optimistic that making a lamp would turn things around so quickly, especially with the loss of the father, whether he was killed or had to stay behind. But the story offers hope to kids forced to move due to wars and other difficulties that make them and their families refugees.

The Night War by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley (Dial Books, 288 pages, grades 4-7). When there’s a roundup of Jews living in Paris, Miriam (Miri) is captured and separated from her parents. A neighbor helps her escape, on the condition the Miri take the woman’s two-year-old daughter Nora with her. Helped by a nun, Miri and Nora are sent to a town near Tours, where an old castle stands on the border of occupied France and Vichy France. En route to the town, Miriam falls asleep and awakens to find that Nora has been taken away and sent to live with another family. Miri is placed in a convent school, joining the nuns and a few students who have stayed for the summer, and is renamed Marie to hide her Jewish identity. While there, she gets involved in a secret operation to help escaping Jews cross the border, aided by a mysterious old woman who turns out to be the ghost of former castle owner Catherine de Medici. Miriam/Marie’s last mission is to save herself and Nora, which she is able to do with the help of the friends she has made at the convent, in an exciting and daring escape. Includes a lengthy author’s note with additional historical information.

I’m on a mission to read some of the Newbery contenders, so I finally got around to this one, written by the author of some of my favorite World War II historical fiction books, The War That Saved My Life and its sequel. While it’s currently at number 3 on the Goodreads Newbery list, I confess I did not much care for it. I’m sure the circumstances of 1942 France made kids grow up fast, but Miri and her friend Beatrice were way too wise beyond their years. Their other friend Jacqueline seemed to exist mostly to show how oblivious many French people were to the suffering of their Jewish neighbors. I had kind of mixed feelings about the ghost plot twist; it was cool in some ways and made for an interesting subplot, but also felt somewhat jarring. Finally, the epilogue wrapped things up WAY too neatly for a book about the Holocaust. This book has gotten glowing reviews, though, and the history is super interesting, so take a look for yourself!