*I loved Melanie's first novel Counting Thyme. I was excited to learn her second novel would be coming out in 2020. While at #NCTE19, I was thrilled to see an ARC of Every Missing Piece. The book came home with me and I recently finished the story. WOW!
What It Is About - FIVE Things You Need to Know:
1. *Maddy lives with her mother, and her stepdad Stan. She has many fears, but the biggest one is the fear of forgetting her father.
2. *After Maddy sees a young boy in the woods near her home, she believes he may be a missing boy she has seen on the news.
3. *Because she has reached out to her mother, and the police, for various "concerns" she has experienced in the past; she decides to keep this concern to herself.
4. *The new boy, the neighborhood "bully", Maddy's best friend, and Maddy herself try to figure out the mystery, how to be in each other's lives, and come to terms with both their past and future.
5. *As the past of the new boy catches up to him, Maddy also finds her past "crashing" into her present forcing her to face her biggest fears.
What I Thought Of It - Five Observations/Reflections:
1. *This story has brought me several hours of enjoyment over the last few days.
2. *I absolutely loved the characters of Maddy, Eric/Billy, Diesel, and Cress. They each had such strong individual personalities, but together were even stronger.
3. *The relationship between Maddy and her stepdad Stan was a focal point of the story and warmed my heart on more than one occasion.
4. *I was pleased with how the mystery of Billy/Eric transpired throughout the plot and found it realistic and true to real-life situations.
5. *The journey Maddy took was personal, profound, and perfect. Thought the 284 pages, I came to know her quite well and wanted the best for her.
Who Should Read It:
*This would be the perfect middle-grade novel for readers that have experienced a loss in their family, a difficult situation between parents, and/or young people supporting each other during trying times. Readers in grades four, five, and six would be ideal. Of course the book should also be put in the hands of middle-school readers. I'm so happy I had the opportunity to read Melanie Conklin's new story. Readers are going to truly enjoy. Happy Reading!
Rating: 5 STARS out of 5 Stars
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