Review by Booklist Review
It's been three years since Amelia lost her older sister, Clara, but all too often it still feels like yesterday. On the first day of eighth grade, Amelia receives a shocking surprise at school: not the letter she wrote to her future self, but the one Clara did, containing a list of things Clara wanted to do before the end of middle school: making the softball team, asking Billy to the dance, planning an epic eighth-grade prank, and so on. Amelia takes it upon herself to complete Clara's list, which Clara herself was never able to do, in the hopes of learning more about her sister and challenging herself. In Holt's slender, emotional prose, Amelia's grief is palpable, and her fear of the lake, where Clara died, provides a strong undercurrent. Secondary characters, both juvenile and adult, provide emotional support for Amelia and add depth to the plot, though the story's time line is thinly sketched. Readers looking for a tearful read that ends with hope will not be disappointed.--Barnes, Jennifer Copyright 2018 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 5-8-In the three years since her older sister Clara drowned in the town lake, everyone in Amelia's life seems to have coped and moved forward. Despite caring parents and a patient BFF Taylor, Amelia still feels isolated and adrift. A school mix-up provides her with a catalyst for change when Amelia is mistakenly given Clara's eighth grade to-do list instead of the one Amelia wrote for herself. Amelia's mission to overcome her own sadness by completing her sister's list provides the novel's structure; what Amelia learns about herself, her family, and her community provide the novel's heart. The list leads Amelia to reach out to Twitch, a boy who knew Clara well and whose easygoing demeanor masks heartaches of his own. Taylor and Twitch are compelling supporting characters: Taylor is an ideal friend without being idealized. But it's Twitch readers will remember for his modest courage, sharing with Amelia his perspective on coping with adversity: "We are all whiteboards that can be covered in terrible words, erased and re-covered in better words." In an economical use of language, Holt paints an authentic portrait of what it's like to live in a small town. -VERDICT More than a recovery-from-grief story, this is also a powerful coming-of-age novel. Readers will be moved and inspired. A great addition to middle grade and middle school collections.-Marybeth Kozikowski, Sachem Public Library, Holbrook, NY © Copyright 2018. 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.
Review by Horn Book Review
On the first day of eighth grade, Amelia Peabody, along with her classmates, expects to be presented with the letter she had written to herself at the start of sixth grade. Instead, she ends up with the letter her older sister Clara wrote in sixth grade, shortly before her death three years ago. Amelia is still in mourning, so she decides to accomplish the goals Clara had set out in her letter--trying out for softball, asking a boy to a dance, hosting a party, and pulling off a memorable eighth-grade prank. She has mixed success, but in the process she learns more about her sister and forms new connections to people she has been pushing away for years. This is an emotion-driven book (Even my thoughts are italicized. Thats how upset I feel), as Amelia struggles with loss and guilt and understands that she will never be the person she was before Claras death (I AM ME! I CANT BE FIXED! THIS IS WHAT YOU GET!). Despite the inward focus of the narrative, Holt keeps Amelia connected to other characters, and the emotion, though highly dramatic (and sometimes melodramatic), with slammed doors, silent treatment, and tears, feels authentic. The creativity of Amelias prank at the books climax brings the story full circle, providing her with closure and reconnecting her to her familys roots in the community. sarah rettger (c) Copyright 2018. 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.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Amelia Peabody's older sister, Clara, died in a boating accident three years ago, a tragedy that still has Amelia in the clutches of deep grief.On the first day of eighth grade, Amelia finds a letter Clara wrote to herself on her own first day of sixth grade. It's not any letter to her future self, however--it's a list of all the things Clara will accomplish by the time she reaches eighth grade: be nicer to Mom, make the softball team, ask Billy to a dance, throw a fabulous birthday party on the lake, and plan the most unforgettable eighth-grade prank their small town has ever seen. Sadly, Clara only completed one task, because she died during that party on the lake. Maybe finishing the tasks for Clara will alleviate Amelia's pain. Amelia's unrelenting heartache over the loss of her sister is never over-the-top; she's a steady, reliable narrator whose life is a realistic balance of humor and sadness. Amelia's "What would Beyoncé do?" approach to life is admirable, but repeated references to the pop star may eventually date the book; however, the themes of loss and recovery are timeless. All characters seem to be white by default.A book for anyone who's lost someone close, and to instill a sense of empathy in those who haven't. (Fiction. 8-13)
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
