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Review: Peachaloo in Bloom

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By Chris Raschka
New York : Neal Porter Books / Holiday House, 2025. Fiction. 295 pages.

Peachaloo Piccolozampa is stung by a wasp and gains a superpower: she understands what people mean and not just what they say. This newfound ability has come at just the right time–an audacious villain has moved into town and is planning to replace her favorite swimming hole with a golf course. Simultaneously, the citizens of Fourwords are planning their annual pageant, which reenacts a historical bank heist. 

Altogether this book reminds me of True Stories, my favorite movie when I was twelve. Talking Heads' front man David Byrne (wearing a cowboy hat) narrates vignettes leading up to a Texan town's sesquicentennial celebration. Chris Raschka's novel is similarly rambling, off-kilter, and sweet. Peachaloo is a thoughtful and bighearted protagonist. An omniscient townsperson acts as a chatty narrator, packing the book with peculiar characters and funny asides. It's written with highly descriptive language and frequent blackline illustrations. At face value Peachaloo in Bloom is a digressive, quirky read to enjoy on a lazy day but it contains sincere wisdom that will stick with you for longer.
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