The Seventh Most Important Thing by Shelley Pearsall

Shelley Pearsall’s The Seventh Most Important Thing sneaks up on you. What starts out as a story about a 7^th grade boy who is assigned by a judge to help the local junk man turns out to be a story with themes as profound as redemption. It also approaches the topic of outsider art, which is unusual for children’s fiction, and subtly suggests the existence of fine lines between mental illness, creativity and spiritual inspiration. Then, just as the reader has settled into this quasi-philosophical realm, he is shifted back into the world of realistic fiction, with a protagonist who has matured, and whose family situation has improved.

Arthur Owens’ father has recently died in a motorcycle accident. Spotting the elderly neighborhood junk man wearing his father’s hat, Arthur takes out his anger with the world on the man by throwing a brick at him. Hearing about the boy’s motivation, the junk man, whose name is James Hampton, convinces the juvenile court judge to assign Arthur the task of helping him in his junk collection, instead of a more traditional disciplinary choice. It turns out that James Hampton is collecting very specific types of junk, the seven most important things referred to in the title, some of which go on to hold symbolic meaning for Arthur. Arthur eventually discovers that the junk man is using these seven things to assemble a work of art entitled The Throne of the Third Heaven, in a rented garage. This part of the story is based on a real artist of the same name, whose masterpiece is now housed in Washington, D.C. at the Smithsonian American Art Museum. Arthur’s nerdy sidekick, Reginald, and probation Officer Billie are likeable seconday characters.

This book will appeal to a wide audience of children and younger teens who enjoy realistic fiction and stories of friendship, including those featuring male characters such as Rebecca Stead’s Liar and Spy.  It will also appeal to readers of books with a mild fantasy element such as Wendy Mass’ series that began with Eleven Birthdays. The plotline and theme of redemption bears strong similarity to Neal Shusterman’s young adult novel, The Schwa Was Here. Recommended. 2015

D. Rosen-Perez

The Scar, by Charlotte Moundlic. Illustrated by Olivier Tallec.

The Scar

This is a picture book about a young child whose mother has recently gotten sick and died. The boy is terrified that he will forget his mother's smell, or even that he will forget her, entirely.
The adults in the story want to support him, but must also cope with their own sadness and devastation.
It's a comforting story that acknowledges the child's pain, and also offers the hope of being able to go on--but without sugar-coating anyone's grief.
The red and sometimes gray charcoal and watercolor illustrations work with the text in prioritizing the child and his feelings; the adults in the story are present but mostly out of sight, except for the immensely satisfying central double-page spread, in which the grandmother reassures her grandson, with her hand on his heart, that his mother (her daughter) is "in your heart, and she's not going anywhere."
I recommend The Scar as a deep and beautiful book for preschoolers who may need it.
K. Muhm
2011

Where Do You Stay? by Andrea Cheng

Where Do You Stay?

Jerome is eleven years old, and is trying to come to terms with his mother's recent death from cancer. An only child, he and his mother were very close; he misses her terribly. He moves in with his aunt and uncle and their two sons. Both boys are a bit resentful because Jerome seems to be without any faults--at least that's what their mother is always saying, suggesting that they try and be more like him. Jerome, mature beyond his years, senses that he and his cousins need some time to adjust to one another. While he's waiting for this to happen, he bonds with an elderly man who works for his aunt and other folks in the neighborhood, in exchange for food. Jerome and Mr. Willie share a love of music, gardening, and stone walls.

Mr. Willie lives in a dilapidated carriage house on the property of a nearby empty mansion. He has very few possessions and that's the way he likes it; he believes in minding his own business and thinks that other people should do the same. His homespun wisdom appeals to Jerome.

A "For Sale" sign appears one day on the mansion, and Jerome fears that both the mansion and the carriage house will be demolished. The new owners arrive and begin restoring the large house, but decide to tear down the carriage house. Mr. Willie disappears when he hears the bulldozers approach. Jerome and his cousins are hired to help clean out the mansion which will be turned into a school. He was told by Mr. Willie that there was a lovely piano in the house, and he starts searching for it. It cannot be found, and Jerome is very disappointed. The piano is missing, Mr. Willie is missing, and Jerome feels that his new life is unraveling before it has hardly begun. He thinks of his mother's advice to "listen and come back in" whenever he would miss a musical note, and he decides that he's going to do that in his new life, too. You cannot help but wish that only good things happen for Jerome from now on in this new life. 2011.

M.Cooney

Mockingbird, by Kathryn Erskine

It would be very hard for any fifth grader to deal with the death of a beloved older brother in a school shooting. But for Caitlin, the narrator of Mockingbird, it is even harder, because Caitlin has Asperger's Syndrome. Her brother, Devon, was her friend and guide in dealing with the world, and since The Day Our Life Fell Apart, she has to learn to deal with things on her own. This sweet book, told from her point of view, traces her life as she and her father try to cope with their grief. Caitlin counts on books to help her understand the world, and when she looks up the word Closure, she knows that is what she and her father, and the community, need. But finding it will not be easy. By using empathy and finesse, however, Caitlin achieves her goals. Although this book deals with a sad topic, it has humorous moments, and Caitlin is an appealing character, who provides real insight into the thoughts and viewpoints of someone with Asperger's. 2010.
M. Adams

The Song of the Whales, by Uri Orlev

This is a short fiction book (108 pages) of magical realism, making it a book for a sophisticated reader, fifth grade and older. Michael is entering fourth grade in Israel, where he and his parents have moved in order to care for Michael's grandfather.

Michael has been a lonely child until this move: now he and his grandfather bond and delight in each other. His grandfather shares his dreams with Michael, who sometimes wakes from his sleep not being sure whether he has been dreaming or whether he has actually done these things with his grandfather. His grandfather's death at the end of the story is not as traumatic as I expected it to be--Michael knows that he can always meet his grandfather in his dreams. Their time together is not over.

It's an odd little book, but one that I liked. 2010.

M. Cooney