The world from up here

Review by Booklist Review

Sixth-grader Wren is scared of ­everything horses, flying, and especially, Witch Weatherly, the old lady who haunts Creeper Mountain. Life gets really frightening when Wren's mother becomes ill, and Wren and Russell, her seven-year-old brother, who's on the autism spectrum, are left with Aunt Marianne and cousin Silver. It doesn't help that Silver is beautiful, popular, and apparently fearless. After a few days, Wren begins a voyage of self-discovery, thanks to Silver. Wren can ride a horse and go up in a plane. But she absolutely draws the line at seeking out the witch. Inevitably, both girls find themselves up on the mountain, and when Silver is injured, Wren discovers how brave she can be. The story moves along quickly, and background involving both girls' mothers and Witch Weatherly is believable and leads to added insights. Most of the characters, including Russell, are well-rounded, and the middle-school setting rings true. Readers will relate to Wren and Silver as they work their way beyond initial assumptions to true friendship.--McBroom, Kathleen Copyright 2016 Booklist

From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.

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Review by Publisher's Weekly Review

Sixth-grader Wren worries about everything from riding horses to the witch who supposedly haunts nearby Creeper Mountain. Wren is forced to confront her fears when her mother is hospitalized after an emotional breakdown. Wren's father travels to Akron, Ohio, with his wife, leaving Wren and her younger brother, Russell, who has Asperger's syndrome, to stay with their aunt and cousin, Silver, who have just moved to town. Popular, fearless Silver is in Wren's class, and Wren thinks they are polar opposites. But living with Silver, beginning to understand her own mother's struggles, and facing her fears help Wren realize that people aren't always what they seem and that she's stronger than she knew. Galante (The Summer of May) creates a realistically complex character in Wren, sensitively portraying her anxieties and her realizations about how she holds herself back. The role of Witch Weatherly in Wren's history, as well as her growing relationship with Silver, further flesh out a warmhearted story celebrating family and friendship. Ages 8-12. Agent: Stacey Glick, Dystel & Goderich Literary Management. (June) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved

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Review by School Library Journal Review

Gr 4-7-Galante introduces readers to Wren, a fearful and anxious sixth grader at a rural Pennsylvania school. After Wren's mother is hospitalized to treat her own anxiety and depression, Wren, her younger brother, and their dog move in with their aunt Marianne and cousin Silver. Silver's bravery inspires Wren to take more risks, including defending herself, and Wren discovers she is braver than she thought. For a school assignment, Silver decides to interview local legend Witch Weatherly, who reportedly lives in a house on Creeper Mountain. Despite Aunt Marianne's disapproval, Silver and Wren make the treacherous journey up the mountain. Silver and Wren's friendship deepens as they motivate and confide in each other along the way. Wren's courage is tested when their journey takes a dangerous turn. Galante's novel features likeable and realistic characters, with a hint of thrill, magic, and mystery. VERDICT An uplifting and inspiring read that will be especially appreciated by readers struggling to find their bravery.-Jess Gafkowitz, New York Public Library © Copyright 2016. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

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Review by Horn Book Review

Anxious twelve-year-old Wren has never felt brave, and she's never felt less significant than next to her fearless cousin, Silver. After her mother suffers a breakdown, Wren stays with Silver's family, and together the girls discover that Wren is far braver than she thinks. With honest portrayals of mental illness and courage, this is a poignant, intimate story of family and healing. (c) Copyright 2017. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

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Review by Kirkus Book Review

Sixth-grader Wren is besieged with worry. After her mother's hospitalization for a breakdown, Wren and her little brother must stay with their aunt and cousin for a few weeks. Only recently acquainted with them, Wren feels uncertain and slightly in awe of her popular cousin, Silver. The transition also increases Wren's concern for her 8-year-old brother, Russell, who has Asperger's syndrome. Although struggling in the aftermath of her mother's abrupt departure, Wren initially identifies with her mother emotionally, asserting that they are both worriers. However, Wren's increasing dissatisfaction with the incessant worrying evolves into a yearning to be braver than she often feels. Living with Aunt Marianne and Silver exposes Wren to a more free-spirited outlook on life, encouraging her to expand her self-imposed boundaries. Through her deepening friendship with Silver, Wren discovers her inner resilience. Galante's compassionate portrayal of Wren reveals a child coping with a mother's long-term depression, a caring, responsible sister who demonstrates a mature understanding of her brother, and a young girl endeavoring to manage her own anxieties. Unifying the tale is the mystery that surrounds Creeper Mountain's reclusive inhabitant, Witch Weatherly. When Silver decides to seek out the truth about the legendary recluse, Wren reluctantly participates. After a serious accident occurs during their mountain excursion to find Witch Weatherly, Wren must decide if she has the fortitude to persevere despite her worries. Galante's penned a poignant tale of self-discovery. (Fiction. 10-14) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

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"Two thousand feet," the pilot said. "Take a look, you two. It's not every day you get to see the world from up here." Russell poked me right in the cheek. "You gotta look, Wren. You gotta look."Slowly, I peeled one eye open. Then the other. I forced an eyeball to the left, just barely peeking out of the window. My head turned a quarter of an inch. Then a half inch. I leaned forward just a little so that I could bring my eyes into focus. It was hard to pinpoint exactly when my breathing started to slow, or when I stopped sweating. Actually, I might not have stopped sweating at all. But something did pause and then settle just the tiniest bit when I looked out at the view below, a patchwork of green and yellow fields punctuated every so often by a red or white silo. Blue swimming pools the size of dominoes gleamed up at us, and ribbons of highway, smooth as silk, meandered in and out of the lush countryside. It was so quiet up here. So quiet and beautiful."It's like what birds see," Russell sounded mesmerized. "Right, Wren? Birds?" "Uh huh." For a single, ridiculous second, I wondered if birds ever felt afraid when it came to flying. Was there ever some little runt who just didn't have it in him the way his brothers and sisters did, who hovered fearfully at the lip of the nest, staring down at the enormous expanse below? And if there was, what did it do? How did it learn to let go one day and fly? "Look over this way, Wren!" Russell said.I peeked over the top of Russell's head. There was the mall, or at least what I thought was the mall, with its huge conglomeration of tan buildings shoved in tightly together and enormous expanse of empty parking lots. And there, on the other side of the highway, was the Susquehanna River, no wider now than a Tootsie Roll, its sludgy water the color of blue mud. Further ahead was someone's cornfield, the edges of it cut sharply like a square, and to the left of it, a gigantic mountaintop, which rose up into the sky in a sea of trees. My heart lurched as I looked at it again. Was that Creeper Mountain? It was hard to know from all the way up here. I stared at it again, waiting perhaps, for Witch Weatherly to appear all of sudden at the very tip top, her red raven perched on her shoulder, shaking her fist at us. But there was nothing to see except a slew of tall pines, which bent and swayed in the wind like feathers. And then suddenly I caught sight of it: the ever-present thread of white smoke, which twined its way up through the trees and then disappeared into the air above them. My fingers trembled against Russell's as we passed over the top of it, and then moved on, erasing it from view. "Man, oh man," Russell breathed. "Windy Sundays are one of the best things ever." He squeezed my hand again. "Don't you think so, Wren?"I didn't answer, still clutching the edge of my little brother's shirt as the glider tilted to one side and then turned around, leading us back home again. All I could think about was getting back down to the airport in one piece and putting my feet down on solid ground. But another little part of me was still wondering about those baby birds. Was the answer really as simple as I guessed it might be? Could it be that the only way they learned to fly was to tiptoe up to the very edge of the nest? And then jump? Excerpted from The World from up Here by Cecilia Galante All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.

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