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Give and Take
Give and Take | Elly Swartz
4 posts | 2 read | 3 to read
Elly Swartz's Give and Take is a touching middle grade novel about family, friendship, and learning when to let go. Family has always been important to twelve-year-old Maggie: a trapshooter, she is coached by her dad and cheered on by her mom. But her grandmother's recent death leaves a giant hole in Maggie's life, one which she begins to fill with an assortment of things: candy wrappers, pieces of tassel from Nana's favorite scarf, milk cartons, sticks . . . all stuffed in cardboard boxes under her bed. Then her parents decide to take in a foster infant. But anxiety over the new baby's departure only worsens Maggie's hoarding, and soon she finds herself taking and taking until she spirals out of control. Ultimately, with some help from family, friends, and experts, Maggie learns that sometimes love means letting go. This title has Common Core connections.
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review
LiteraryinLawrence
Give and Take | Elly Swartz
Mehso-so

I‘m sorry to say, but this was one of the weaker middle grade reads I‘ve encountered. I gravitated towards it because of the main character, a 12-year-old girl with anxiety surrounding letting go of items. It was an interesting premise and I applaud the author for bringing this subject to light, but I was unimpressed with the execution. Maybe there were too many things going on, so none of them were given enough development? It fell short for me.

53 likes1 stack add
review
Peddler410
Give and Take | Elly Swartz
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Pickpick

This is #huggable !
After Maggie‘s grandma — who had dementia — forgets who Maggie is, Maggie begins saving random things to remember people, events, and feelings. She‘s afraid of forgetting.

There‘s trapshooting and a new friendship. Oh, and a temporary baby sister 😊

Elly Swartz shines a light on anxiety and hoarding in children, including a note from a child psychologist at the end. #middlegrademarch #2020middlegrade

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Peddler410
Give and Take | Elly Swartz
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megnews This sounds good. I‘ve never heard of it. Looking forward to your review! 4y
22 likes1 comment
blurb
Peddler410
Give and Take | Elly Swartz
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#middlegradeMarch is just around the corner and I plan to start with the tagged book. I have no idea how many books I‘ll get through but this photo shows some I‘m looking forward to. That said, there is a very good chance something else will catch my eye — middle school librarian, I‘m always distracted when new books come into my libraries 😊

LibrarianRyan 14t goldfish was sooooooooooo good. 4y
emtobiasz Definitely keep The 14th Goldfish on your list— you‘ll find lots of students to recommend it to! The Night Diary was good too 👍 4y
megnews I almost picked Momentous events in the life of a Cactus off the library shelf yesterday! Great choices! 4y
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LiteraryinLawrence What a great stack! 4y
sblbooks I stacked two for these! 👍 4y
Peddler410 @sblbooks I‘m curious! Which two? 4y
sblbooks @Peddler410 Momentous Events in the Life of a Cactus, Give and Take 4y
23 likes2 stack adds7 comments