Snap Book

I read the book for work, and found it very touching. The narrative was not a straight forward A to B, and I wonder if it was too subtle or all over the place for its intended audience? I enjoyed it though. And, with all the heart the story has - in addition to a relatable and likeable main character - kids will enjoy it too. I highly recommend this book for children experiencing grief, sadness, or anxiety. Eddie's feelings are taken seriously and she's given coping mechanisms kids could use in their own lives.

Eddie's 'present' is a week or two during the summer between grade six and grade seven, when she learns that her friend's grandmother is sick and dying. Most of the story is told through flashbacks to her younger self: seven years old - the 'age of reason' as Willie says... the first day of grade two... the time her father took her to the Diner... her Sunday's with Sally... We get a great picture of Eddie and Sally's friendship, and how much Eddie admires Sally and her grandmother.

There are lots of stories about living with grief, but most often they're told from the perspective of the person most affected. Instead, this story is told from a secondary griever's POV - Eddie - as she works through her own feelings while also finding herself lost in how to help/support her friend who's grandmother (and primary guardian) is dying. With events filtered through Eddie, I think we're eased into the story without being too triggering (as it might be if we had Sally's POV straight on).

My main criticism of the book would be to question the writer/editor's grammatical choices. Maybe they're emulating the syntax of an eleven year old... but sometimes it just feels odd.