pickI (re)read this book for my kids‘ fantasy book club at the library. For some, it was their first experience with an epistolary novel! It‘s a format I adore, so I was honored to introduce them to it. I love that the tale is utterly wacky (invisible, levitating, shape-shifting, bossy chickens!) while also being a gentle exploration of grief (for Sophie‘s abuela, with whom she shared a special closeness, and for her uncle, whom she‘d never met).👇🏻
monalyisha 1/4: It‘s also a story about a whole family finding their way in a new place, wrestling with race and class struggles in an age-appropriate way. These systemic problems are not the focus of the story…and yet, they do not go unmentioned. Sophie deals with grown-up things (like sometimes kids are made to) on her level; the grown-ups deal with grown-up things in the background and have their own hints of story. Expert-level nuance here! 5d
monalyisha 2/4: The villain‘s character falls a little short. Her motivation is explained but it‘s a bit shallow and unmined, especially considering the drastic actions she takes. Sophie‘s dad is still finding his way at the end of the book. I‘d love to have seen the seeds of a clearer and more unique path laid out for him. 5d
monalyisha 3/4: The writing in the section about the cockatrice chicken could have been sharper. It‘s the darkest chunk, in terms of mood, and the writing is murky to match. I‘m not convinced all of the details were necessary, especially given that the writing seems to prove a subconscious desire to obscure them. 5d
monalyisha 4/4: There‘s a second book, which I‘ve never read. Were I the intended audience for the book, I‘d dive right in! Given that I‘m an adult with my own reading needs, I may never get there…but that has nothing to do with the book and everything to do with me! A gem, sparkling brightly with funky chicken charm and practical facts. 5d
so-so