Tag: Holly Goldberg Sloan

Finding Lost

I recently turned to social media for book recommendations that took place in the Pacific Northwest. I was traveling to Seattle and wanted a good book for the plane with ties to where I was going. I looked through the recommendations I received and saw a Holly Goldberg Sloan book, “Finding Lost.” I had no idea she had a book that took place in the PNW but I was thrilled to dive in.

I would read anything Holly Goldberg Sloan wrote. Literally anything. Her voice, storytelling approach, word choices…she pulls the readers into her story because it feels real. You will read her books and feel like a good friend is telling you their personal story. You will be invested in their story, you will know these characters, you will laugh with them, you will identify with them, you will think of them as friends.

I boarded the plane, opened my book and couldn’t put it down. Hours later I was looking out the window, finished book in hand, still thinking about those characters. In “Finding Lost” we meet Cordy Jenkins who lives on the Oregon coast in the “boat house” of a large property where her mother is the property caretaker. Her father died in a boating accident and her mother is saving for a new beginning away from Oregon, the one place Cordy and her brother have called home. Cordy finds a hungry lost dog who she brings home. Her mom, who doesn’t want a dog, tells Cordy and her brother they will find the dog’s home. This little dog, who they name Lost, wins all of their hearts and guides their new beginning in an unlikely place, right there on the Oregon coast.

Now here is the reason I love Holly Goldberg Sloan books for readers of all ages. There are the obvious reasons–I love her stories, I love her characters, but what I really love are these passages that make me think. I’ve texted photos of passages from every one of her books to friends. Her words, while written appropriately for children, will give readers of all ages something to think about. I remember in one of her previous books she wrote about photo albums and how they tell one family member’s perspective. I still think about that today.

I can’t recommend this book enough. Definitely check out “Finding Lost.” If you haven’t read “Short” read that one too (it’s one of my all-time favorites). Just save her name, and when you see a book she’s written, read it. Trust me, you won’t be disappointed.

The book I waited too long to read…

I was introduced years ago to Holly Goldberg Sloan books through a text message from a friend. She sent me a photograph of a page from “Counting by 7s” and said “you need to read this book.” That same friend texted me another page photo when reading “Short” because the writing is just that incredible that one page will draw you in. “Short” is on my list of the 10 best children books I’ve ever read.

So you can imagine any time I see a book written by Holly Goldberg Sloan, I need to read it immediately. Yet for some reason, I’ve walked past “Appleblossom the Possum” multiple times without picking it up. I didn’t expect a book about a possum to be as powerful a read as “Short” and “Counting by 7s.” I realized how wrong I was the moment I finally picked up a copy and started reading on a train ride into the city.

I could not stop reading except to dogear corners of pages and sending texts to friends about this book. I finished the book during my train ride, and I have three regrets. First, I regret waiting so long to read this book. Second, I wish I read it slower just to savor this story. Finally, I regret judging a book by its cover/title and thinking a book about a possum wouldn’t live up to books like “Short.” This book is just as amazing as Goldberg Sloan’s other books and what I love most about her writing is that each book is different and amazing in its own way.

Appleblossom is the smallest of her siblings, cautious, but also a little bit curious. A disagreement with her brothers over her curiosity about monsters (humans) leads to her falling down a chimney which starts this little possum on an awfully big adventure. I want to tell you more, but really, I want you to read this book and have the joy of watching this story unfold.

In addition to the story being captivating, I loved how the book covered the young possums learning appropriate possum behavior. It was like an introduction to sociology for children. The sociological concept that we are all actors learning our role in society was explained in a way that children would follow and understand…the young possums all learning possum behavior while bringing their own personalities into how they interpret those behaviors. This understanding of how we as humans (and possums in this case) learn and evolve in our roles was so well done throughout the book.

Holly Goldberg Sloan is one of the best children’s authors of our time. I will read any book she’s written, and I highly recommend you check out “Appleblossom.” Readers of all ages will enjoy this amazing story.

The Elephant in the Room

I love Holly Goldberg Sloan books. You can visit my past reads here: Counting by 7’s, Short – the passage a friend texted to me, Short (review). One thing I noticed looking back at my previous reads – they all involved photos of a passage that impacted me. This book is no different. I took a photo of my favorite passage while reading (before I revisited those previous articles).

“You had to hope for the best.

You had to keep going even when things weren’t fair.

You had to believe in the possibility of days like this day.

And you had to work to make them happen.”

Let’s dive into this book. Sila’s mother has to return to Turkey to straighten out her immigration paperwork. She expects to be gone for a week but a week turns into a year. Sila struggles through this separation while she waits with her dad for news of her mom’s return. During this time, Sila meets an assortment of characters who change her life in ways she could never imagine. Along with her dad, Sila meets Gio a retired lottery winner who was married to Sila’s favorite teacher (who passed away). She is paired by her school with Matteo who she doesn’t plan to befriend but sometimes the universe seems to have different plans. The failing circus owner who is so desperate to sell an elephant, he will throw in a bear too. The largest character in the book (both in size and impact on Sila) is Veda, a retired circus elephant that Gio rescues who gives Sila a sense of purpose and distraction during the separation from her mom. How do these characters come together? Read the book, trust me. While it sounds like unlikely friendships and scenarios in my description, Holly Goldberg Sloan weaves in incredible tale.

The story combines sadness, loneliness, hope, promise. We find friendship in people we don’t expect. Strangers become not only friends but help in ways Sila and her dad never imagined they could. Her characters are fascinating, frustrating, wonderful humans. She tackles a tough topic, separation due to immigration issues and doesn’t sugar coat it at all but addresses the myriad of emotions in a way that is appropriate for young readers. I can not recommend this book enough.