FINDING ESME
by
SUZANNE CROWLEY
Genre: Middle Grade (3-7)
Magical Realism / Family & Loss
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Magical Realism / Family & Loss
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Date of Publication: August 14, 2018
Number of Pages: 288
Scroll down for the giveaway!
PRAISE & HONORS FOR FINDING ESME:
“Esme is a brave, appealing heroine with the odds stacked against her… Bad blood and layered family secrets drive this story to its ultimately optimistic and satisfying conclusion.” - Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books (starred review)
“Esme McCauley is a lonely but spirited 12-year-old who feels nothing ever happens to her the way it’s supposed to...A poignant tale for readers who enjoy character-driven realism.”
- School Library Journal
“Readers muddling through preteen changes or unstable family lives will identify with Esme’s struggles, but the thrill of discovery will appeal to most.” - Booklist
Texas Library Association 2019 Spirit of Texas (SPOT) reading program selection
Well, my goodness, y’all! Here I am, again, with a review
that’s sure to knock your socks off!
“How do you know it’ll knock my socks off?” you ask, whilst
reading the above sentence.
“Because this book knocked my socks all the way into last
month, that’s how, you sassy thang!” I reply, as I continue to type this here
review.
Oh, this book … y’all … this book took me all the way back
to my childhood in a way that only a well written book can. It all started with
the delicious (dust) cover of this hardback book. Yes, I’m here to tell y’all
that a book can, indeed, be judged by its cover. The intriguingly artistic cover
of FINDING ESME by Suzanne Crowley is as sweet and delicious as a sun ripened
peach from Esme’s grandmother’s farm.
And guess what? Ms. Crowley sent me an AUTOGRAPHED copy of
this book and a bookmark!
YAASSSSS! GAZE UPON THE SPLENDOR!
*Le Sigh*
Y’all know I shoot straight from the hip when it comes to
books and reviews. I don’t know whether or not it’s the fact that I studied
English Literature or the fact that I, myself, am an author (of the best sci-fi
books in Texas), but I kinda get a little picky with the books I read, yo!
Just ask Kristine.
Oh, yes, you know of whom I speak … the Lone Star Literary
Life Book Siren, herself. She knows just how to lure me in with a gorgeous
cover and an intriguing blurb. But I digress.
This book is magical realism at its best. I simply lurved it. I lurved it a whole lots!
This book is magical realism at its best. I simply lurved it. I lurved it a whole lots!
What I enjoyed most about FINDING ESME by Suzanne Crowley was
the constant tension in her prose. Her writing is sprinkled with a … je ne sais
quoi … if you know what I mean. The reader is continually aware that something
is off, not quite right. Something is coming, and it may or may not be good.
Only time will tell (once the reader finishes the book, of
course!)
FINDING ESME by Suzanne Crowley took me all the way back to
the magic of childhood summers before cellphones and computers … before
technology distracted kids from the wonders of summer nights, chasing
fireflies, the true value of friendship and how ones actions towards peers can affect
others deeply.
Long gone are the days of dealing with others face-to-face,
making amends in person or by slipping secret gifts of apology where the
offended party will find them. Most of today’s kids are conditioned to social
media and the ease it brings of forgetting the person on the other side of the
screen is a living, breathing human with feelings.
I find this enormously saddening.
Speaking of sadness. Without giving away any spoilers (‘cause
y’all keep asking, and y’all know I ain’t gonna!), this book strikes a tender
nerve in anyone who’s lived through those angsty pre-teen years. Not only that,
but this book deals with actual real world issues such as: depression, absentee
parenting (both in person and flat out abandonment), grandparents who must step
back into parenting shoes, deep loss, the value of true friends, and knowing
when to tune in to one’s intuition.
Oh, this book has it all! Magic. Ghosts. Mystery. Witching
Sticks. Pie Made of Sun Ripened Peaches, a faithful ole horned toad (who may or
may not really be a ghost), and, of course, a faithful ole dog. It’s a story as
sweet as Bee’s honey. As bewitching as a witching stick. As mysterious as a
ghost who leads the way to long-buried bones.
But I’ve gone too far here! Y’all’ve almost tricked me into
spoilers, y’all sassy thangs!
Look …
Crowley’s writing is honey sweet … her writing voice as mesmerizing
as a misty spirit in the night calling to the reader from betwixt the covers of
FINDING ESME. I simply could not rest until I finished the book!
And that’s why I grant
FINDING ESME
By Suzanne Crowley
5 Peachy Sweet Magical Brooms!
Suzanne Crowley is the author of two acclaimed novels for young readers, The Very Ordered Existence of Merilee Marvelous and The Stolen One. The author, who is also a miniaturist and dollhouse collector whose work has graced the covers of magazines worldwide, was born in a small town in Texas and lives in Southlake, Texas. When not hugging her dog or imbibing in chocolate, she can often be found taking a nap.
GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY!
TWO READERS EACH WIN A SIGNED COPY OF FINDING ESME, TWO CANDLES, BOOKMARKS, FUN FACT CARDS, AND A PEN!
February 11-21, 2020
(U.S. Only)
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Your reviews are always so fun and completely different from all others. Thanks for the extra effort. So glad you loved the book.
ReplyDeleteThank you! (You sassy book siren, you!) I seriously loved this book!
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