Starred review from February 24, 2014
In a lovely and captivating debut, Holczer crafts a tender story of an orphaned girl left with a grandmother she resents in a town that holds the secrets of her family’s past. Twelve-year-old Grace is no stranger to new places: her wayward, artistic mother seemed to uproot them every few months without explanation. After Grace’s mother dies in a drowning accident, Grace is expected to move in with a grandmother she doesn’t know or trust, as she struggles to understand the loss of her mother, discover her family’s history, and follow a trail of clues she’s certain her mother left for her. Holczer writes with depth, heart, and a poetic lilt (“I shivered in my sleeping bag, feeling the chill of the river, and wondered if my dreams were bringing me one piece of Mama’s death at a time”), making readers feel the same longing ache as Grace. Despite a lack of suspenseful or action-packed scenes, Grace’s story and Holczer’s nuanced characters engage from beginning to end. Ages 10–up. Agent: Rosemary Stimola, Stimola Literary Studio.
April 15, 2014
In this debut novel, Holczer presents a tender, transformative exploration of family, loss and reconciliation. Grace has been moving all over California with Mama, looking for the perfect home. She is sure they have found it in Hood, so when Mama suggests they uproot, Grace puts her foot down. On that night, Mama dies. Now Grace is living with her estranged Grandma--the very same woman who sent Mama away when she was pregnant with Grace. Grace is determined to make life impossible so Grandma will send her away, too. Grace's voice is smart and observant; her sadness is palpable. Despite her resistance, Grace is assisted through her grief by a cast of colorful, original characters, including her Grandma, who reminds Grace in many ways of Mama. And Grandma, just like Mama always did whenever they moved to a new town, has set up a treasure hunt for Grace in hopes of leading her, and welcoming her, home. The phrasing and the images are beautiful and rich. If the pace begins to lag a bit, young readers invested in the emotional journey will not mind. Grace's surprising discoveries about herself, her family, and her friends, and her struggles with sorrow and forgiveness, are engrossing. (Fiction. 10-14)
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Starred review from May 1, 2014
Gr 6-8-Holczer writes about the common theme of loss, but creates quite an uncommon character who must deal with the sudden death of her mother, and moving in with a grandmother she has never met. Grace's mother leads them on a nomadic life of moving from one place to another, always searching for just the right home, until her untimely death. Grace must then find a way to get to know and forgive her grandmother who has always been a stranger in her life. She soon discovers that her mother has left her one more treasure hunt. The clues take her deep inside her family's past and unlock memories that finally give her the stability and roots she has always been craving. Holczer expertly crafts the characters and dialogue to create a story readers will identify with, and thoroughly enjoy. The undercurrent theme of loss is balanced well with humor and an authentic protagonist. More than simply a book about grief and the death of a parent, Grace's story is about the search for identity. An essential purchase for middle-grade collections.-April Sanders, Spring Hill College, Mobile, AL
Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
July 1, 2014
Twelve-year-old Grace, mourning her mother's death, goes to live with her grandmother in Mama's hometown. Grace refuses to forgive Grandma for sending Mama away as a pregnant teen. In talking to townspeople, who help fill in gaps about her family's past, Grace finds the hope, peace, and home she's been looking for. Holczer weaves healing symbols (birds, daisies) and poetry into her lyrical text.
(Copyright 2014 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)
July 1, 2014
"Death is a hard nut to crack" for twelve-year-old Grace, who is mourning her peripatetic artist mother's unexpected passing. She wants to keep Mama's memory close but doesn't think she can do that living with her grandmother in Mama's hometown of Auburn Valley, California. The two have only just met, and Grace refuses to trust Grandma or forgive her for sending Mama away as a pregnant teen. She protests by sleeping in the shed and causing mischief in hopes that Grandma won't want her anymore. After Grandma shows her one of the junk-art birds her mother made -- a metal crane -- Grace embarks on a treasure hunt; Mama used to familiarize Grace with each new town they lived in by sending her on a treasure hunt, and now Grace believes Mama left clues for her to follow in Auburn Valley. In talking to townspeople, who help her fill in the gaps about her family's past, Grace finds her own identity and the hope, peace, and home she's been looking for. Holczer weaves healing symbols (birds, daisies) and poetry into her lyrical text, and Auburn Valley's quirky characters and small-town charm add humor and warmth. Grace is a multifaceted, relatable protagonist: she's pensive, stubborn, lonely, and caring -- much like Grandma, which is why they are able to help heal each other's grief. Their relationship evolves in an honest and tender way in this heartfelt debut about loss and love. cynthia k. ritter
(Copyright 2014 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)