What It Is About: The Sweep has left Nan Sparrow on her own. She has spent her life as a "Climber" and is known as one of the best in London. Nan and the other climbers work long and hard hours under the supervision of a greedy and harsh man. The one item that Nan has from her Sweep is a "char" that she keeps in her worn and tattered coat pocket. One night during a climb, Nan finds herself stuck in the chimney facing death by fire. When she awakes, she finds herself in another location with a "monster" type creature taking care of her. Nan learns this creature came from the "char" that has resided in her pocket since the Sweep gave it to her. Nan and the "char' which eventually become Charlie, spend all of their time together, staying away from the dangers of London, and trying to figure out what each means to each other. Nan also wants to learn why the Sweep left the "char" for her and how she can keep him safe and alive.
What I Thought Of It: I absolutely LOVED this story. I could tell it was going to be one of those special stories the minute I began reading. There was such a sense of solid plot, character development, and setting. I'm not normally a reader of fantasy, but everything about this one worked so well and had me HOOKED. The character of Nan was written with such grace, integrity, and realism. The reading process was a complete joy because I was fascinated by the growth Nan took from the unfolding scenes to the emotional conclusion. As I was reading, there were so many wonderful life-lessons that could be shared with young people. Of course I loved that the love of reading/books was such an integral part of the story.
Who Should Read It: I'm already thinking this will be one of my shared read aloud during the 2018/2019 school year. I want all of my students to experience the magic that Jonathan Auxier penned in his newest novel. The book would work in grades four, five, and six. Of course it could also be used with middle-school readers. Adult readers that read and enjoy middle-grade stories definitely need to add this title to their TBR list. It arrives in book stores in September 2018. Happy Reading!
Rating: 5 STARS out of 5 Stars
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