By Allie Millington
New York: Feiwel and Friends, 2025. Fiction. 264 pages.
Nearly a year after the death of her older sister Lina, Prue Laroe is dreading turning 12. Turning 12 means that she will be the same age as Lina when she died, and Prue doesn't want that to happen. But even more changes are coming for Prue -- her family's apartment building, the Odenburgh, has been sold and is set for demolition -- meaning Prue will have to leave the places she feels closest to Lina. When the Odenburgh flashes its lights at her, Prue takes it as a sign from Lina that she needs to rally the other residents to save the Odenburgh. In her quest to save her home, Prue befriends Lewis, the lanky boy from the building across the street, not quite understanding why Lewis is drawn to the same goal as her. Demolition day nears and Prue's whole family needs to come to terms with their grief before it is too late.
There have been a string of middle grade novels dealing with gentrification lately, and this new book adds an interesting perspective in tying grief, memory, and moving on to the power of a specific place. This book is about loneliness and disconnection and the strength of a community healing together. Told from multiple perspectives, including from the sentient apartment building itself, this poignant novel explores the inner lives of people living in close proximity. Wholesome and heart wrenching, this story is an important exploration of loss.
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