Review by Booklist Review
As she did in Lily and Dunkin (2016), Gephart tells the story of two kids in alternating chapters. Amy's mother has died, so she and her father move to Pennsylvania, more specifically into her uncle's funeral home, where her dad will work once he finishes his classes in funeral arts. Miles, meanwhile, spends most of his time at the family's bowling alley, brushing up his game and enjoying the company of his grandfather, Billy though Miles misses his recently deceased grandmother, Bubbie Louise. The main story line two 12-year-olds trying to reshape their lives after loss works well enough, and Amy and Miles are endearing characters, as are their friends, Randall and his weight-lifting, blue-haired crush, Tate. Unfortunately, Gephart takes up space with a fairy tale Amy is writing and on the musings of an omniscient narrator, pages that perhaps could have been better spent shaping the story. Several crises punctuate the action and move it along, but it's the burgeoning relationship between two ordinary kids who need (and find) both help and hope that wins the day.--Ilene Cooper Copyright 2018 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
This clever story about friendship, loss, and bowling shoes by Gephart (Lily and Dunkin) traces how two miserable middle schoolers strike up an unexpected friendship. Still grieving over her mother's recent death, Amy Silverman is not happy about moving from Chicago to Buckington ("Borington"), Pa., to live with her uncle above his funeral home. Meanwhile, Miles Spagoski, whose family owns Buckington Bowl, the local bowling alley, is also feeling sorrow, as well as anxiety. He misses his grandmother, who died a year ago, and is worried about his ailing grandfather. The tweens meet under unfortunate circumstances on Amy's first day of school: before Amy even enters the building, Miles's lucky bowling shoe gets tossed in the air and clonks her on the head. Though tossed-shoe victim and crackerjack bowler are destined to become close, the build to this inevitability is entertaining, as Miles awkwardly attempts to make amends, and Amy, when she's feeling blue, composes an ongoing story about a peasant girl who also gets hit in the head. Told from the alternating perspectives of the endearing protagonists, the novel humorously verifies that loss can lead to surprising beginnings. Ages 9-12. Agent: Tina Dubois, ICM Partners. (Oct.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 4-6-Amy is the new kid in Buckington, PA, having recently moved here from Chicago after her mother passed away. She's anxious to make a new friend and, surprisingly, the event that gets that ball rolling is an airborne bowling shoe that lands on her head the morning of her first day at her new school. Miles is a worrier and the wearer of the flying bowling shoe. His family owns a bowling alley and at the top of his worry list is the surprise he is planning for his grandfather's upcoming birthday. The story moves back and forth between their perspectives and is formatted like a bowling game, with sections of the story divided into frames one-through-10. Amy's talent and creative outlet as a writer also makes an appearance as a story within the story, and parallels the action of the main plot, especially as it relates to her growing connection to Miles. Friendship lies at the heart of this story, and readers who prefer character-driven novels will find this book highly appealing. The well-drawn, likable characters are relatable, and the novel's themes of grief and loss will strike a chord. The writing is perfectly suited to the middle grade audience and balances the beginnings of romance between the characters with the challenges of fitting in, the highs and lows of friendship, as well as the struggle to be an individual and maintain a healthy self-esteem. Fans of Gephart's previous books will enjoy all the research she works into the text that clues readers into fun facts, ranging from the wide world of bowling to what sort of specialty knowledge and experience it takes to run a funeral parlor to the many strange ways people can pass away. VERDICT A unique and compelling novel from a master storyteller. Highly recommended.-Samantha Lumetta, Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County © 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
Following the death of her mom, Amy moves in with her uncle at a creepy funeral home. Across town, anxious Miles worries about everything--but mostly his aging grandfather and the fate of his family's bowling alley. A surprising friendship ensues, offering each middle schooler an unexpected path toward healing. A unique and lovely examination of the power of friendship to pull us from the depths of grief. (c) Copyright 2019. 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
Once upon a bowling shoe.Miles Spagoski's favorite place is his family's bowling alley. A worrier who is awkward with girls, Miles wishes life were more like bowling, where there is "always a chance for a do-over." Maybe if he wears his lucky bowling shoes someone will think he's interesting enough to go to the upcoming dance with. Meanwhile, Amy Silverman is lonely and unhappy about moving to her uncle's funeral home; her bedroom smells moldy, and the environment triggers memories of her mom's funeral. A writer, Amy projects her life and dreams onto her characters in hopes of rewriting her story with a happy ending. The two kids meet when one of Miles' lucky bowling shoes lands on Amy's head. Miles has no idea how lucky his shoe is, because things don't always turn out the way we expect. Miles' and Amy's perspectives alternate in the intrusive third-person narration, which includes earnest and gently humorous insights into themes of friendship, loss, and perseverance set in a contrasting typeface. Paratext includes glossaries of bowling and writing terms. Well-rounded supporting characters include Miles' best friend, Randall, a stylish boy with severe asthma, and their friend Tate, a blue-haired girl who weight lifts competitively. Miles is Jewish, and Amy's leg-length discrepancy requires her to wear a heel lift. Excepting a minor character with a Spanish surname, assume the white default.A sweet story about a friendship with a most inauspicious start. (Fiction. 9-13) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
