carolesrandomlife

4.5 out of 5 stars

I received an advance reader edition of this book from Little, Brown and Company and Net Galley for the purpose of review.

I really enjoyed this book. It is no secret that I read a lot. I have read lots of books. Because I read so many books, I often see similarities in the book that I am reading to other books that I have read. A plot that was exciting the first time that I experienced it may not be quite as much fun the twentieth time I encounter it. That is why I liked this book so much…It was different! I do realize that other books have been told from the point of view of a young child but this is the first time that I have had the privilege to read a book written in that format.

This book starts out with 5 year old Anna camping with her family. Anna is not sure what is going on when she hears yelling. The next thing she knows she is being thrown into the cooler by her father along with her brother. After time passes and things quiet down, Anna gets the cooler open and hears her mother. Her mother tells her to get her brother in the canoe and she will catch up. Anna does as she is told and takes care of her 2 year old brother “Sticky” until they are found. This story is told in the wandering way that a 5 year old experiences life. The author was able to truly capture the innocence of childhood. The epilogue ends the story perfectly.

I would rate this book 4.5 out of 5 stars. It was well written and the main character was so realistic. Every time Anna sniffed her bear Gwen, I thought about how my own daughter would throw a fit every time I washed her pink doggie because then he smelled “funny” in her eyes. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to read something a little out of the ordinary.