Thanks to the #kidlitexchange network for the free review copy of his book – all opinions are my own.
Synopsis (from Goodreads):
Sixth grade is coming to an end, and so is life as Macy McMillan knows it. Already a For Sale sign mars the front lawn of her beloved house. Soon her mother will upend their little family, adding an unwelcome stepfather and pesky six-year-old twin stepsisters. To add insult to injury, what is Macy s final sixth grade assignment? A genealogy project. Well, she’ll put it off―just like those wedding centerpieces she’s supposed to be making.
Just when Macy’s mother ought to be sympathetic, she sends her next door to help eighty-six-year-old Iris Gillan, who is also getting ready to move―in her case, into an assisted living facility. Iris can’t move a single box on her own and, worse, she doesn’t know sign language. How is Macy supposed to understand her? But Iris has stories to tell, and she isn’t going to let Macy’s deafness stop her. Soon, through notes and books and cookies, a friendship grows. And this friendship, odd and unexpected, may be just what Macy needs to face the changes in her life.
Shari Green, author of Root Beer Candy and Other Miracles, writes free verse with the lightest touch, spinning Macy out of her old story and into a new one full of warmth and promise for the future.
Review:
I am a sucker for a book told in verse. I love how the phrasing is chosen with such precision in order to convey the exact feeling or message with minimal words. I love how the breaks in the lines force you to pause and hear the words in a way you don’t hear them when a book is written in standard prose. And Macy McMillan and the Rainbow Goddess did exactly that.
As for the story itself, I loved it. Macy was such a likeable character, even when she was having a meltdown. And her neighbor Iris! I loved the friendship that these two struck up! Iris had so many great lines of wisdom to share with Macy, that I just had to break out the page tabs. Oh, and did I mention the books? This story is filled with books. It’s a book lover’s dream.
There is so much heart in this story. I can’t wait to share this with other readers, young and old, who are looking for a fun, caring, and realistic story about growing up.
Highly recommend. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Purchase links: Barnes & Noble – IndieBound – AmazonAuthor stats: Website – Facebook – Instagram – TwitterBook stats: Hardcover, 240 pages, Pajama Press, May 15, 2017
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