Even though the setting of this book is a mere microcosm of an Italian working class neighborhood, the issues of poverty and the role of women are truEven though the setting of this book is a mere microcosm of an Italian working class neighborhood, the issues of poverty and the role of women are truly universal and the emotional turmoils of the teenaged narrator are relatable. Two things prevent me from giving this book a higher rating though--written as a first person narrative from Lenu's perspective, some of the details of the goings-on in Lila's house seemed too detailed, especially given the ebb and flow of their friendship. The other is that the ending is extremely abrupt and does not even hint at explaining the opening scene of the first chapter. I understand that this a trilogy but we all might be better off reading the first chapter last, to tantalize us in reading the next installment rather than scratching our heads at the end of the last chapter....more
I received an egalley of this book from Random House for review purposes.
I am so happy to see the return of this spunky character who radiates kindnesI received an egalley of this book from Random House for review purposes.
I am so happy to see the return of this spunky character who radiates kindness and self-assuredness. Some of Molly Lou's life instructions from her mother may seem a little didactic, but they are breezily paired with artwork that makes the point clear in a way that young readers can easily understand. Examples include "Take responsibility for the things that you do, good or bad," and "Accept people for who they are and listen to their ideas, even if they are different from yours."
The only quibble that I have, and it is a minor one, was the sentence near the end that mentioned her friend Gertie waving her crutch in the air. I noticed the character earlier in the illustrations and thought it was a nice touch to include diverse characters, include several with disabilities. I think that such a detail may be best discovered naturally through observation, as we do in real life. Like I said, it's a minor quibble and does not prevent me from highly recommending this as a read-aloud for Kindergartners up through even the older grades such as third and fourth graders because of its potential for generating thoughtful conversations....more
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