One of the best books I have read in a very long time. Beautifully crafted. Highly recommended. We are living in a golden age of YA fiction! ( )

5 starts for endearing characters and for making me laugh out loud.
-1 stars for being a weird book with adult jokes and themes, not "adult" like xxx, but more with adults who are barely functional and a lighthearted treatment of his alchoholism and hoarding.
-1 star for mild fat phobia and diet talk. Kids books don't need to do that. ( )

I really, really didn't like the first few chapters of this. The narrator, Willow Chance, was too obviously and intensely quirky. Also, it bothered me that on page 3 she says, "...and all I know for certain, with the sun on our faces and the sweet ice cream holing our attention, is that this is a day that I will never forget." Because how does Willow know, in that moment with the sun on her face and the ice cream in her hand, that she will always remember that day? It didn't make sense to me because it's before she knows her parents were killed. This first chapter is told in present tense and it really annoyed me that the author either made Willow psychically know that the day was going to be unforgettable, or (more likely) goofed. I've re-read the first chapter several times and I find it hard to get over this, but I'd be happy to hear from a reader who thinks it makes sense. The only explanation I can come up with is that Willow thinks in that moment it's a day she'll never forget because she's eating ice cream with her new friend Mai. But that seems pretty dramatic. I'm convinced it's a goof.

Is that nit-picky? I would say yes. Because as the book went on I liked it more and more. Especially when the perspective shifted to close third person with other characters (I needed a break from Willow's robot voice). By the end, I was really rooting for Willow and Mai and Quang-ha and Pattie and Jairo, and even Dell.

A great read-alike for [b:Wonder|11387515|Wonder|R.J. Palacio|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1366213431s/11387515.jpg|16319487] and [b:Emma Jean Lazarus Fell Out of a Tree|464956|Emma Jean Lazarus Fell Out of a Tree|Lauren Tarshis|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1347592223s/464956.jpg|453360]. I don't think this is a Newbery contender for me because many of the plot elements came off pat and unrealistic, even when they were sweet and rousing. This novel shines in terms of great characters and its aching portrayal of bereavement and rejuvenation. ( )

written very well and tugs at the appropriate heartstrings. It's about loss and growth and family ( )

An amazing tale of how people can survive real tragedy with grace and grit, and how those (and those of us) who are octagonal pegs that don't fit into any "hole", can make their own place and way in life. ( )