With tons of heart, thought and emotion, this is a journey of a girl finding herself.

Melanie is a fifth grader, who keeps to herself and doesn't fit in with the rest of the kids. During one of the regular bullying sessions, she finds a new friend at her side. This friend is exactly the push she needs to gain courage not only to stand up for herself but also to learn who she is and what she even wants. Melanie also begins the journey of healing as she takes the hunt for her missing mother into her own hands...one that leads to a few surprises along the way.

Melanie is a lovely girl, who has shielded herself off from others. Her awkwardness is endearing but not as much as her heart of gold. Her very active imagination is what will capture readers as she tries to fiddle her way and find her place in the world. But then, fifth graders will easily relate to how awkward fitting in or standing out can be.

The story shines thanks to two main twists. The first one is already clear in the first pages, but young readers probably won't pick up on it for quite some time. It adds a nice touch which had me smiling. The second is also a bit predictable, but it definitely adds the intriguing punch. Especially the ending picked up pace and edged this closer to a four star review, but it wasn't quite enough.

This read is short and entertaining. Young readers will find quite a bit to sympathize with and feel connected to. The ideas of bullying, learning who you are, friendship, loss, overcoming certain fears, and embracing family are all wonderful messages and perfect for the intended age group. While so much is included, I found myself skipping paragraphs again and again...and still, had no trouble keeping up with the tale. Also, this is placed in the 1980's. The author brings in quite a bit of pop-culture from that time, and while she does take the time to explain the important references, I'm not sure it will interest this age group or resonate with them.

All in all, this is a lovely tale with tons of goodness. I'm sure the right reader will enjoy it quite a bit.

I think that some of the language and words used in the book will make it a bit unaccessible for its intended audience. Some of the transitions between chapters/scenes were confusing and the Mel/Sabrina situation will be hard for some to grasp. That being said, I think more books on dealing with grief need to be written, this one has good bones but I think needs more development. There are some good quotes and moments but it fell a little flat.

I received an advance reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.

This was a lovely whimsical read about a young girl navigating daily life at school and at home. Melanie befriends a girl called Sabrina and they become inseparable. Sabrina is everything Melanie isn't and really draws Melanie out of herself to be more confident and less shy.

I guessed the outcome of this story within the first third of the book however it was still a beautiful story and well worth finishing to the end.

The author covers loss and imagination within this book give grace and delicacy and I really enjoyed reading it.

This is a difficult book to assess because I know it's for a younger audience. But even still - I think there are things this book does well and then things that take you away from the experience of reading it.
This book exists almost in a duality of times - the author's experience of a time past, and then the attempt to connect to a present. This language has a bit of a dissonance to me as a reader, and I question when language came into play quite a few times.
The story itself is absolutely predictable from the beginning. There is no stray from this expectation and the characters all act predictably. This is unfortunate, as this is a tale of coping with loss and grief. The potential of ideas, imagination, and missed opportunities of development are all on display in the worst sense, which really brings this narrative down. This book repeatedly fails to live up to the opportunity its name provides.
But then this book ends in a sort of almost ending, nearly as if there is half a resolution to the story, and then the other side is almost a promise for a resolution. But that promise is hardly fulfilling enough and I feel mostly like this is just forgettable.

A fantastic teen story so wonderfully written. A unique plot line following the everyday struggles of young girl. This book tackles mental health in a way that young children can access. The ending was a refreshing surprise, satisfying but not stereotypical. A beautifully written novel.

My eight year old daughter loved this book! She had a hard time putting it down. At dinner, she would excitedly tell me about what had been happening in the book. She read it in about 5 days. I think other girls from about 2nd grade through early middle school would also like this book. The reading level is appropriate for strong second grade readers on up. We will be looking for more titles by this author!

So I'm writing this review as someone who is over ten years older than the target demographic for this book. However, that didn’t detract from my enjoyment of this book.
The story follows Melanie, a fifth-grader, as she navigates school, and does her best to avoid Karen, the school bully. Then Melanie meets Sabrina, a girl who is fearless and doesn’t care what anyone thinks of her. Sabrina slowly draws Melanie out of her shell and encourages her to believe in herself. The only thing missing is Melanie’s mum, however Sabrina is convinced they can track her down.

I can't remember the last time I read middle grade, but really enjoyed this book, it has a really whimsical feel the whole way through that I loved. I loved Melanie as a character, I loved her imagination and the way she saw the world. The book managed to cover topics such as grief and loss in a really lovely way, that would be perfect for younger readers.
Mathison did an amazing job of only having a handful of characters, but making them all really unique and interesting- I felt like I knew all the other children in Melanie’s class by the end of the book.

I guessed pretty early on the “twists” in this story, but I think that’s because I'm an adult reading a children’s book, and even then, it didn’t detract from my enjoyment of the story. I think this is a great book for pre-teens, but I also feel like it can be enjoyed by all age groups- I loved it!

I personally found it hard to really relate to the story, but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t good. This book is a wonderful book to share with children. It touches on topics, such as grief and finding your courage, that I wasn’t expecting. A quick read that is perfect for younger readers.

There needs to be more books that talk about grief for kids and adolescents. This book tackles a lot of issues and how Melanie deals with things as a pre teen girl. I would encourage 5th grade and sixth grade girls to read this one.