*Simon and Schuster sent me an electronic ARC of this upcoming middle-grade novel. The title will be released on August 11, 2020. This was my first middle-grade read of summer 2020.
What It Is About - FIVE Things You Need to Know:
1. *"Little Eddie" misses his papa and wants to make him proud.What It Is About - FIVE Things You Need to Know:
2. *He and a new friend decide to enter a fishing contest. Eddie's father loved to fish.
3. *Just as the two "contestants" are trying to figure out how to raise the contest fee to enter, "Little Eddie" and his mother hear from his older step-brother "Big Eddie".
4. *"Big Eddie's" grandmother is ill. "Little Eddie" travels from Minnesota to Columbia to spend the summer with them.
5. *While in Columbia, he learns about his older brother, a wonderful grandmother, and his father who he so desperately wants to know.
What I Thought Of It - Five Observations/Reflections:
1. *"Little Eddie" was a great character that I enjoyed reading about from start to finish.
2. *I enjoyed the development of relationships with his friends, older brother, and a "step" grandmother.
3. *The plot was interesting and engaging when Eddie traveled to Columbia for the summer.
4. *I enjoyed learning about his family's culture, customs, and daily life.
5. *The story was thoughtful, sensitive, and touching. There were moments when the storyline moved a bit slow for my taste.
Who Should Read It:
*Readers in grades four, five, and six would be completely appropriate for the story. I think the middle-school reader may enjoy a bit more as the story moves slow and there is not a whole lot of "action" that the younger reader looks for. Happy Reading!
Rating: 3 STARS out of 5 Stars
