A huge favorite among student readers, it has taken me a while to get to this one as it has been checked out every time I have looked for it in the past year or so. So very glad I finally got hold of it. "Heartwarming", "Bittersweet", "Charming" and "Smart" don't even begin to describe this absolutely delightful book which is not only good but one I could see kids re-reading over and over. It's a tough opening when Willow Chance, a "different" kind of kid, has her life literally upended in a single moment. The path of the tale after that winds in lots of directions (hint: seven is a major theme), some of them being what you might expect, others being nothing like what you would expect. Ms. Sloan gets major props here for writing a really layered story, building in metaphor and symbolism not so much with a heavy hand but the delicate strokes of an artist. She doesn't let anything go and she doesn't shy away from the many sides to, well, everything and everyone. She creates a rich, real tapestry of complex, human characters, including Willow herself. Much like Fleischman's "Seedfolks" this is a tale of how our interconnectedness as people is both spiritual and undefinable. I laughed, I cried, I couldn't put it down. Absolutely one of the best I have read this year. Brava. Grab the hankies and get ready for a book which will not leave you even after you finish the last page.
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