Tag Archives: Life Changes

Elem. – There’s Always Room for One More

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McGrath, Robyn. There’s Always Room for One More. Illustrated by Ishaa Lobo. Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2023. 978-4-665-92537-2. Unpaged. $18.99. Grades K-3.

Claire’s family is getting ready to have a new addition, but in order to have enough room at the table for Grandpa they need to get a new one. Claire is excited to have Grandpa come live with them, but her old table has so many wonderful memories of “playing cards, homework help, and Saturday morning pancakes!” While Claire’s family shops and dreams of the opportunity a bigger table will bring (“more room for baking…space for all my crafts…and perfect for Grandpa’s thousand-piece puzzles”), Claire remembers “Chocolate birthday cakes, Pa’s bad jokes, and the feel of Penny’s soft fur against her feet.” Despite her wishing, the old table does not come home. As neighbors and friends stop by with things to prepare for Grandpa’s arrival, Mama and Pa invite them each for Grandpa’s surprise, and they respond with “There’s always room for one more.” After Claire’s emotions become too much for her, Claire’s mother comforts her by getting her to see that Grandpa is going to miss his things too, but “now we get to make room for new memories.” Will Claire learn to accept this life change, and how will Grandpa make out with his?

THOUGHTS: Hand this book to a child who is struggling with a life change. The bigger change (a grandparent moving in) is downplayed by the physical change the house takes (we need a bigger table). This title may help a reader who is experiencing a change (like getting a new sibling) look at the situation with optimism instead of focusing on what they’re losing.

Picture Book

Elem. – Ten Beautiful Things

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Griffin, Molly Beth. Ten Beautiful Things. Charlesbridge, 2021. Unpaged. 978-1-580-89936-9. $16.99. Grades K-2.

Lily and her grandmother are driving to Iowa, which now will be the young girl’s home. As Lily sits in the back of the car watching the scenery, she feels an empty place and an anxious feeling in her stomach. Seeing her granddaughter’s sadness, Gram suggests they play a game and look for ten beautiful things during their journey.  Their trip begins in darkness and then suddenly an amazing sunrise comes into view and becomes the first beautiful thing. As they travel on, Gram and Lily find other marvelous things, like a windmill farm, a red-winged blackbird, the sound of a gurgling creek and the earthy smell of mud. When they are nearly at their destination, a powerful thunderstorm appears with lightning, winds, and heavy rain. Lily realizes that just as this storm seemed to fill up the whole world, the empty places within her are now filled by Gram and her new home. The downpour has stopped, the sun is shining, and all will be well. Lechuga’s digital illustrations are charming, and she skillfully depicts the young girl’s anxiety in the drawings.

THOUGHTS: Children experiencing a life changing event will find a connection with Lily. By not revealing the reasons, the author has created a touching story that will apply to a number of situations, such as death, deployment, imprisonment, abuse, or custody issues. Guidance counselors and caretakers will find this book a valuable tool to promote discussion. A worthwhile purchase for all elementary libraries.

Picture Book          Denise Medwick, Retired, PSLA Member

MG -Down to Earth

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Culley, Betty. Down to Earth. Crown Books for Young Readers, 2021. 978-0-593-17573-6. 210 p. $16.99. Grades 4-7.

9-year-old Henry Bowers is worried about whether he will be a dowser. His family has worked the land, quarried for granite, and drilled for water in rural Maine for generations, and many of them have a unique talent for dowsing, or finding water through the use of a forked stick and instinct. While Henry worries about his upcoming 10th birthday, the birthday when dowsers find out if they have the knack for dowsing or not, he carries on with his quiet life, including taking care of his sister Birdie and recording his observations about rocks in his homeschooling journal. Then one night, Henry witnesses a very large meteorite fall into his backyard, and he feels an instant connection with the huge lump of space rock. The meteorite turns out to be both a problem and a blessing for Henry and his town, and ultimately, his connection to the meteorite helps him discover who he is and what he wants to do with his young life.

THOUGHTS: This is a heartwarming story about a thoughtful boy who finds himself and his unique gifts through acts of helping others. Henry and his family are loving people who endure hardships with grace, and the pace of the book matches the soothing pace with which they seem to live life. Vague allusions to the healing powers of water “called” by the meteorite are sprinkled throughout this book, but the emphasis on facts from encyclopedia and book entries, a visit from a scientist from the American Museum of Natural History, and Henry’s own journal of science questions keep the story believable and rooted in realism.

Realistic Fiction          Erin Faulkner, Cumberland Valley SD