Skip to main content

Review: Wishing Season

 

By Anica Mrose Rissi
New York: Quill Tree Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, 2023. Fiction. 228 pages.

Lily has always been part of a twosome with her twin brother Anders. That is until Anders passes away after a cancer diagnosis that was caught too late. Lily's mom is constantly sad and doesn't care anymore whether or not Lily brushes her teeth or eats her dinner. She's even giving much of their dwindling savings to a psychic who claims that she can talk to Anders from beyond the grave. Lily has a secret though; she can talk to Anders herself. She can only see him in the special field behind their house where they spent summers playing together. But as time goes on and she begins to gain friends outside their little field, the "overlap" (the place where they can both be) gets smaller and smaller until Lily worries that she'll lose Anders forever.

This is a beautiful story about grief and how it changes the lives of those who are thrown into it. It's also about growing up and how to separate your new self from what you were before. Much of the book takes place as summer turns to fall, so pick this book up to read it while it's in season!

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Dude, That's Rude! (Get Some Manners) by Pamela Espeland & Elizabeth Verdick

If there's one book today's kids need to read, it is Dude, That's Rude! (Get Some Manners) . The authors provide a fun format for teaching etiquette to children. They discuss proper behavior at home, at school, at other people's homes and in public places. The information is completely up-to-date with cellphone manners and netiquette included. Fun, cartoony illustrations are on practically every page giving the book great visual appeal. This book is perfect for boys and girls in the fourth grade or older. WARNING: Bodily functions are discussed.

Funny Farm by Mark Teague 2009

There are things I liked about Mark Teague's newest book, Funny Farm , and things I didn't like. Where should I start? I'll do the "didn'ts" first. The illustrations show animals personified. Well, some of the animals are. The main characters, Edward, and his farm family relatives, all dogs, are humanized. They stand upright, do farm chores, eat at a table, wear clothes, knit (yes, with paws) and sleep in beds. Most everybody else on and around the farm, who are also animals, act like animals. They are outside, roll in mud, live in the barn, and require care from their owners. It struck me the most on the page spread where there are pigs playing in puddle in the rain and Edward, a black and white boxer, watches from inside the house. I thought "You're a dog! Go play with them!" But, alas, he can't, seeing as how he goes through his entire visit to the farm wearing a suit and red bow tie. Another picture that bothered me was the maple syrup pa...

Faces of the Moon by Bob Crelin

Faces of the Moon by Bob Crelin Illustrated by Leslie Evans Charlesburg; 2009; unpaged Faces of the Moon is a short nonfiction book that describes the different phases of the moon and why the moon appears like it does on certain nights. This book is short and sweet so even the youngest of moon lovers will enjoy it. The layout is simplistic and easy to follow. I don’t know much about the moon so I found it very interesting.