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Light and Air
It's 1935, and tuberculosis is ravaging the nation. Everyone is afraid of this deadly respiratory illness. But what happens when you actually have it?
When Halle and her mother both come down with TB, they are shunned—and then they are sent to the J.N. Adam Tuberculosis Hospital: far from home, far from family, far from the world.
Tucked away in the woods of upstate New York, the hospital is a closed and quiet place. But it is not, Halle learns, a prison. Free of her worried and difficult father for the first time in her life, she slowly discovers joy, family, and the healing power of honey on the children's ward, where the girls on the floor become her confidantes and sisters. But when Mama suffers a lung hemorrhage, their entire future—and recovery—is thrown into question....
Light and Air deals tenderly and insightfully with isolation, quarantine, found family, and illness. Set in the fully realized world of a 1930s hospital, it offers a tender glimpse into a historical epidemic that has become more relatable than ever due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As Halle tries to warm her father’s coldness and learns to trust the girls and women of the hospital, and as she and her mother battle a disease that once paralyzed the country, a profound message of strength, hope, and healing emerges.
A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection
When Halle and her mother both come down with TB, they are shunned—and then they are sent to the J.N. Adam Tuberculosis Hospital: far from home, far from family, far from the world.
Tucked away in the woods of upstate New York, the hospital is a closed and quiet place. But it is not, Halle learns, a prison. Free of her worried and difficult father for the first time in her life, she slowly discovers joy, family, and the healing power of honey on the children's ward, where the girls on the floor become her confidantes and sisters. But when Mama suffers a lung hemorrhage, their entire future—and recovery—is thrown into question....
Light and Air deals tenderly and insightfully with isolation, quarantine, found family, and illness. Set in the fully realized world of a 1930s hospital, it offers a tender glimpse into a historical epidemic that has become more relatable than ever due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As Halle tries to warm her father’s coldness and learns to trust the girls and women of the hospital, and as she and her mother battle a disease that once paralyzed the country, a profound message of strength, hope, and healing emerges.
A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection
208 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2024
29 people are currently reading
1203 people want to read
About the author
Mindy Nichols Wendell
2 books40 followersMindy Nichols Wendell is a middle grade author. Before beginning her writing career, she taught English for thirty years. She always felt lucky to get paid for doing a job she loved. Mindy and her husband live in Western New York, not far from the ruins of the sanatorium that inspired Light and Air. These days, when she’s not writing or reading or taking long walks in quiet places, Mindy is probably visiting her grandsons.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 176 reviews
August 13, 2025
Great historical fiction for middle-grade readers!
In the 1930’s, contracting tuberculosis put families and communities in serious jeopardy. In order to contain the spread of the deadly disease, ill persons were sent away to sanatoriums, in places like upstate New York. They received the best treatment possible at that time, including residing in a healthful environment and eating plentiful food. At the height of the Great Depression, these were unknown luxuries for most. Life-long friendships were often made in these isolated places, and children in particular were exposed to different cultures and ways of life that they otherwise would likely never encountered.
In the 1930’s, contracting tuberculosis put families and communities in serious jeopardy. In order to contain the spread of the deadly disease, ill persons were sent away to sanatoriums, in places like upstate New York. They received the best treatment possible at that time, including residing in a healthful environment and eating plentiful food. At the height of the Great Depression, these were unknown luxuries for most. Life-long friendships were often made in these isolated places, and children in particular were exposed to different cultures and ways of life that they otherwise would likely never encountered.
January 7, 2024
A magnificent start to my 2024 reading journey! I had high hopes for Light and Air since learning of its publication. It brought back memories of my Adolescent Lit class at Fredonia, taught by Professor Wendell. Hallelujah Grace Newton takes her rightful place alongside other brave young protagonists like Salamanca Tree Hiddle, Esperanza Ortega, Phoebe Harte, Rifka, and others who have stayed with me well into my own middle grade classroom. I will be introducing this book to my 6th graders in the very near future. I recommend it to all historical fiction fans, from kids to adults. Kudos to Mindy Nichols Wendell on a truly exceptional YA novel.
March 25, 2025
Light and Air by Mindy Nichols Wendell is a delicate yet deeply moving middle-grade historical novel that has quickly become one of my new favorites!
Set in a 1930s TB sanatorium, the story takes what could be a bleak setting and instead highlights resilience, community, and unexpected joy. When ten-year-old Halle and her mother arrive at J.N. Adam Tuberculosis Hospital, Halle is determined to find a way to make her mother better, even when the adults insist on sheltering her from the hard truths. Wendell captures how children process difficult circumstances well: “If Papa and the other grown-ups couldn’t—or wouldn’t—look harder for ways to make Mama better, Halle would do it herself.”
The relationships in this book are what make it shine. The sanatorium isn’t just a hospital. It becomes a place of belonging. The people there understand the weight of waiting, uncertainty, small victories, and setbacks. They don’t fill the silence with empty reassurances but offer quiet companionship when needed most. And when a patient is finally well enough to leave, the entire community gathers to celebrate, cheering them on with noisemakers, pots and pans, and even maracas. What could have been a place of isolation becomes one of deep connection.
Halle’s father is a complicated character. As a child, I would have thought he was awful, but as an adult, I could see that he was a hurting man trying to hold everything together. And Halle herself wrestles with so many emotions, "Which was worse, Halle wondered: a heart like a stone or a heart about to shatter?"
This book is filled with moments of sorrow but also so much light, like Halle realizing, “Despite the dark clouds and frequent storms, the light kept breaking through.” The writing is beautiful, and the story lingers long after the last page. This was Wendell’s debut novel, and I cannot wait to see what she writes next. Don’t skip the author’s note!
🌟 Bottom Line: I highly recommend this book to 8-14 year olds, especially girls who love historical fiction. But moms might want to pick this one up, too! It’s a heartwarming and powerful story you don't want to miss.
📚 Looking for wholesome book recommendations for the whole family?
📖 Follow me on Instagram: @family.book.nook
🌐 Explore my website for book lists & guides: familybooknook.com
Set in a 1930s TB sanatorium, the story takes what could be a bleak setting and instead highlights resilience, community, and unexpected joy. When ten-year-old Halle and her mother arrive at J.N. Adam Tuberculosis Hospital, Halle is determined to find a way to make her mother better, even when the adults insist on sheltering her from the hard truths. Wendell captures how children process difficult circumstances well: “If Papa and the other grown-ups couldn’t—or wouldn’t—look harder for ways to make Mama better, Halle would do it herself.”
The relationships in this book are what make it shine. The sanatorium isn’t just a hospital. It becomes a place of belonging. The people there understand the weight of waiting, uncertainty, small victories, and setbacks. They don’t fill the silence with empty reassurances but offer quiet companionship when needed most. And when a patient is finally well enough to leave, the entire community gathers to celebrate, cheering them on with noisemakers, pots and pans, and even maracas. What could have been a place of isolation becomes one of deep connection.
Halle’s father is a complicated character. As a child, I would have thought he was awful, but as an adult, I could see that he was a hurting man trying to hold everything together. And Halle herself wrestles with so many emotions, "Which was worse, Halle wondered: a heart like a stone or a heart about to shatter?"
This book is filled with moments of sorrow but also so much light, like Halle realizing, “Despite the dark clouds and frequent storms, the light kept breaking through.” The writing is beautiful, and the story lingers long after the last page. This was Wendell’s debut novel, and I cannot wait to see what she writes next. Don’t skip the author’s note!
🌟 Bottom Line: I highly recommend this book to 8-14 year olds, especially girls who love historical fiction. But moms might want to pick this one up, too! It’s a heartwarming and powerful story you don't want to miss.
📚 Looking for wholesome book recommendations for the whole family?
📖 Follow me on Instagram: @family.book.nook
🌐 Explore my website for book lists & guides: familybooknook.com
April 3, 2024
Really happy to have read two 2024 books in a row that earned a 5 star rating. This is an excellent historical fiction book that has a laser focus on one topic- TB. This would be an excellent book to read with a younger reader. I would suggest some guiding questions to help readers infer about the main character and her dad’s relationship. Personally, I found the topic interesting since I’ve heard all my life about relatives that died from TB in the 1890’s. My grandmother was emphatic about not drinking after each other. Make sure you read the author’s note. Excellent theme development.
October 21, 2023
Light and Air is the kind of novel I adored as a young reader: immersive, strange, and just historical enough that the world it lets the reader enter is one that can be found in photographs. Set in 1935, the story takes place in a sanatorium for patients with tuberculosis. The setting is part hospital, but part stately home, and the story - Halle's story - recalls lovely novels from the last century: I thought of books about evacuees during the Second World War, of books about orphans, and of books where children are sent somewhere unfamiliar during scary times.
The writing is quick and neat, and a lot happens very quickly to Halle - short for Hallelujah - and her family. Her mother has tuberculosis, and isn't strong or well enough to stay at home, even with Halle's help. How Halle ends up at the sanatorium, too, is just the beginning of the story.
I think the assumption that a middle-grade reader will not likely miss what I did in the book is an unfair one; Wendell is so adept at giving us interesting, detailed, real characters that I felt everyone but Halle got short shrift. I wanted to know more about each of them than I was given by the story; on finishing, it felt clear to me that the author was told to pare a longer story down, and the unfortunate trend in US children's publishing toward the concise and surface is a misery to me. This book easily could have been twice as long, which would have allowed for the kind of nuance and reflection one finds in Alcott, Hodgson Burnett, and LM Montgomery, all authors whose work seems to shimmer here and there in corners of Light and Air.
I like the way Mindy Nichols Wendell writes, and I love the people and setting: her attention to detail and mood is never heavy-handed, and her dialog serves the story and not the other way around, which is a common problem with contemporary fiction for middle-grade readers, where everything seems presented as though it needs to be filmed.
This book will succeed with readers who enjoy older stories about lonely but resourceful children in difficult circumstances; it is quietly powerful and gives the reader an idea of what the world was like before antibiotics and current treatments for tuberculosis and other diseases were available. Light and Air will also suit a reader who is interested in early 20th century history. I look forward to seeing what the author does next.
I received a copy of Light and Air by Mindy Nichols Wendell from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The writing is quick and neat, and a lot happens very quickly to Halle - short for Hallelujah - and her family. Her mother has tuberculosis, and isn't strong or well enough to stay at home, even with Halle's help. How Halle ends up at the sanatorium, too, is just the beginning of the story.
I think the assumption that a middle-grade reader will not likely miss what I did in the book is an unfair one; Wendell is so adept at giving us interesting, detailed, real characters that I felt everyone but Halle got short shrift. I wanted to know more about each of them than I was given by the story; on finishing, it felt clear to me that the author was told to pare a longer story down, and the unfortunate trend in US children's publishing toward the concise and surface is a misery to me. This book easily could have been twice as long, which would have allowed for the kind of nuance and reflection one finds in Alcott, Hodgson Burnett, and LM Montgomery, all authors whose work seems to shimmer here and there in corners of Light and Air.
I like the way Mindy Nichols Wendell writes, and I love the people and setting: her attention to detail and mood is never heavy-handed, and her dialog serves the story and not the other way around, which is a common problem with contemporary fiction for middle-grade readers, where everything seems presented as though it needs to be filmed.
This book will succeed with readers who enjoy older stories about lonely but resourceful children in difficult circumstances; it is quietly powerful and gives the reader an idea of what the world was like before antibiotics and current treatments for tuberculosis and other diseases were available. Light and Air will also suit a reader who is interested in early 20th century history. I look forward to seeing what the author does next.
I received a copy of Light and Air by Mindy Nichols Wendell from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
October 10, 2023
I received an ARC of this book from the publisher for my honest opinion.
It is 1935 and when Halle and her mother contract TB, they are sent to the JN Adam Tuberculosis Hospital, where all patients are accepted whether poor or rich, black or white. While Halle improves, her mother does not, throwing into question the future of their family. I really enjoyed this book. I had never heard of the hospital before but had been aware of the struggles of TB for most of human history. Wendell does a wonderful job taking us into that world without it sounding like history class or being too gruesome. The illnesses are very serious and yet for most of the book, I found Halle’s determination and optimism catching, making the book a lighter read than one would expect. Halle and her friends are very realistic pre-teens and overall wonderful, relatable characters. I also really appreciated the emotional struggles and growth of Halle’s father over the loss of his children and potential loss of those he still has. Overall, a really great book for teachers and kids interested in science, or a lessor discussed period in American history.
It is 1935 and when Halle and her mother contract TB, they are sent to the JN Adam Tuberculosis Hospital, where all patients are accepted whether poor or rich, black or white. While Halle improves, her mother does not, throwing into question the future of their family. I really enjoyed this book. I had never heard of the hospital before but had been aware of the struggles of TB for most of human history. Wendell does a wonderful job taking us into that world without it sounding like history class or being too gruesome. The illnesses are very serious and yet for most of the book, I found Halle’s determination and optimism catching, making the book a lighter read than one would expect. Halle and her friends are very realistic pre-teens and overall wonderful, relatable characters. I also really appreciated the emotional struggles and growth of Halle’s father over the loss of his children and potential loss of those he still has. Overall, a really great book for teachers and kids interested in science, or a lessor discussed period in American history.
August 25, 2024
So incredibly beautiful in each and every way. Wendell brings the curiosity so many have in history alive through the eyes of a brave young child. The emotional and realistic relationships Halle has with her parents and friends are touching and heart-warming. I loved that the journey Halle went on had a number of highs and low; a new challenge arose time and again and we got to see her face them head on and become more emboldened each time. This book is a testimony to girlhood, the passion between a daughter and her parents, friendship in its purest form, and love. Wendell writes a number of incredibly loving and inspiring adult characters who I would be lucky to know in real life who were a treat to read. The information about TB and the sanatorium is not only accurate but well informed and investigated. Wendell transports you to a strange but beautiful other world where love, rest, light, and air are more important than anything else. This will be one of my all time favorites from now on. 🩵
October 23, 2023
Light and Air by Mindy Nichols Wendell is an upcoming middle-grade novel set to release in January. This short historical novel unfolds in the year 1935 in the state of New York. The heart of the story centers around Halle, whose life takes a dramatic turn when both she and her mother are diagnosed with tuberculosis (TB). As a result, they are sent to a hospital, where Halle is placed in the children's ward. There she forms fast and meaningful connections with some courageous children who soon become her friends.
Overall, I found this book slim on the story and the plot. Nevertheless, this brevity might be a positive aspect, as it could make the book more approachable and engaging for younger readers. An additional positive aspect is how the author delves into themes that are not typically addressed in middle-grade fiction. I'm looking forward to seeing what this author creates in the future.
Overall, I found this book slim on the story and the plot. Nevertheless, this brevity might be a positive aspect, as it could make the book more approachable and engaging for younger readers. An additional positive aspect is how the author delves into themes that are not typically addressed in middle-grade fiction. I'm looking forward to seeing what this author creates in the future.
April 2, 2024
My first book of Middle Grade April!
I picked a good one. Not only was it a subject I knew very little about (tuberculosis), it had so many good-hearted characters. And truly more books need more good-hearted characters, don’t you think? It’s 1935 and Halle and her mom contract TB and are sent to a sanatorium to recuperate. While Halle grows stronger and starts to make friends and have experiences, her mother continues to stay frail and unwell. Halle has to navigate new, hard emotions with a distant father, learn to heal from an unexpected death and comes to terms with guilt she feels over her mother’s illness. It would make a great read-aloud and is perfect for 3rd grade and up, especially a kiddo who is super into historical fiction!
I picked a good one. Not only was it a subject I knew very little about (tuberculosis), it had so many good-hearted characters. And truly more books need more good-hearted characters, don’t you think? It’s 1935 and Halle and her mom contract TB and are sent to a sanatorium to recuperate. While Halle grows stronger and starts to make friends and have experiences, her mother continues to stay frail and unwell. Halle has to navigate new, hard emotions with a distant father, learn to heal from an unexpected death and comes to terms with guilt she feels over her mother’s illness. It would make a great read-aloud and is perfect for 3rd grade and up, especially a kiddo who is super into historical fiction!
November 12, 2023
I was allowed to read this book early via NetGalley. This book is perfect for fans of Anne of Green Gables. It has a precocious girl by the name of Hallelujah (Halle for short) who has to deal with her mother’s diagnosis of tuberculosis as well as her own diagnosis of latent tuberculosis and all that the diagnosis brings. It’s a story of friendship, loss, and hope that also incorporates adventure. It’s a great way to introduce history into a child’s repertoire as well. It’s a fantastic jumping off point for research. I highly recommend this book.
November 27, 2023
In this book we follow 11 year old halle, her friend and family at a tuberculosis sanitarium . It is a book where historical fiction and real life meets up. It pulled on my heartstrings. I highly recommend this book
Thank you to netgalley for letting me read this e arc in exchange for an honest opinion
Thank you to netgalley for letting me read this e arc in exchange for an honest opinion
January 27, 2024
Historical fiction at its best! The author did a lot of research to make this book happen, and it shows!
March 23, 2024
Historical fiction that was close to home and so sweet.
September 24, 2024
Halle's mom is sick with tuberculosis and is sent away to the sanatorium, where she will spend time in the outdoors so her health can improve. But Halle misses her desperately, and her strained relationship with her father prompts Halle to jump to conclusions about her mother's -- and her own -- health.
This was a lovely little middle grade novel. I appreciated that the topic was something both widespread but also little known; I'd heard of tuberculosis but hadn't read a book about it before.
I was glad for an author's note at the end! Always so appreciated with historical fiction!
This cover is lovely. 😍 And a good read for fall; this book begins in mid-September and ends around Thanksgiving (plus a springtime epilogue).
This was a lovely little middle grade novel. I appreciated that the topic was something both widespread but also little known; I'd heard of tuberculosis but hadn't read a book about it before.
I was glad for an author's note at the end! Always so appreciated with historical fiction!
This cover is lovely. 😍 And a good read for fall; this book begins in mid-September and ends around Thanksgiving (plus a springtime epilogue).
January 6, 2024
This is a book everyone needs right now, no matter your age.
Set in the middle of the TB epidemic, this is a story of a family, of found family, of hope and despair [and great sadness] and above all, love and all that it encompasses and how important it is to never lose sight of that. It is also about how loss can change a person and how love can finally change them back. It is also about a horrible disease that had no rhyme or reason and all the people it affected.
I grew up not that far from where the Sanatorium was and knew nothing about it or all the good they did there [they were kind there, helped with children of patients and did not discriminate according to race or ability to pay], so when I saw this and where it was set, I knew I had to read it [and am now planning a trip to the town where it was - there is a museum there]. I just read a book last year about the Black nurses that worked in TB hospitals in NY when white nurses wouldn't and that book was absolutely fascinating and this book just added to that. Even though this is historical fiction, the author really did her research and so much much of what you read in this is based on fact [there is a lovely note at the end about all of this] and that just makes the story come alive even more.
Halle is a great character, who loves books [Anne!!!! YAY!!!], loves her family and is a loyal friend. She loves deeply and feels all the feels and I think readers will really connect with her and all that happens to her. I think that anyone who reads this [and I suggest adults read this as well as their littles] will feel all the feels and will continue to seek out books about this time [it is always good to remember things that have happened so it isn't repeated, and that includes health epidemics].
Very well done - I highly recommend this to everyone.
Thank you to NetGalley, Mindy Nichols Wendell, and Holiday House / Peachtree / Pixel+Ink for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Set in the middle of the TB epidemic, this is a story of a family, of found family, of hope and despair [and great sadness] and above all, love and all that it encompasses and how important it is to never lose sight of that. It is also about how loss can change a person and how love can finally change them back. It is also about a horrible disease that had no rhyme or reason and all the people it affected.
I grew up not that far from where the Sanatorium was and knew nothing about it or all the good they did there [they were kind there, helped with children of patients and did not discriminate according to race or ability to pay], so when I saw this and where it was set, I knew I had to read it [and am now planning a trip to the town where it was - there is a museum there]. I just read a book last year about the Black nurses that worked in TB hospitals in NY when white nurses wouldn't and that book was absolutely fascinating and this book just added to that. Even though this is historical fiction, the author really did her research and so much much of what you read in this is based on fact [there is a lovely note at the end about all of this] and that just makes the story come alive even more.
Halle is a great character, who loves books [Anne!!!! YAY!!!], loves her family and is a loyal friend. She loves deeply and feels all the feels and I think readers will really connect with her and all that happens to her. I think that anyone who reads this [and I suggest adults read this as well as their littles] will feel all the feels and will continue to seek out books about this time [it is always good to remember things that have happened so it isn't repeated, and that includes health epidemics].
Very well done - I highly recommend this to everyone.
Thank you to NetGalley, Mindy Nichols Wendell, and Holiday House / Peachtree / Pixel+Ink for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
November 13, 2023
A beautiful historical middle-grade fiction set in the American 1930s and focused on tuberculosis.
The mother gets sick and is admitted to a hospital (one that is not segregated and is kind) and her family is having a hard time with her slow recovery.
The young Halle has always remembered her mother's words and wants to do something, to act, to face fear in the face with bravery and faith, while her father sinks in anger and depression. She tries to walk all the way to the hospital to see her mother but falls ill and she too is committed to the hospital. Still, she never quits trying to see or help her mother.
I love that Halle's favorite book is Anne of Avonlea and other classics like Black Beauty are mentioned. This book too is written in a cozy classic way. A story that is told in the third person but the voice is very close to Halle's thoughts and emotions.
It is an emotional read for those who relate to having a loved one sick but not being able to do much for them.
We also notice the author did great research and it gives an insight into what was like to have the disease or be admitted to a good sanitorium. Very educational also brings us back to the recent pandemic and makes a great discussion to compare then with now.
The cover artwork is stunning.
Thank you Netgalley and Publisher for this e-ARC.
The mother gets sick and is admitted to a hospital (one that is not segregated and is kind) and her family is having a hard time with her slow recovery.
The young Halle has always remembered her mother's words and wants to do something, to act, to face fear in the face with bravery and faith, while her father sinks in anger and depression. She tries to walk all the way to the hospital to see her mother but falls ill and she too is committed to the hospital. Still, she never quits trying to see or help her mother.
I love that Halle's favorite book is Anne of Avonlea and other classics like Black Beauty are mentioned. This book too is written in a cozy classic way. A story that is told in the third person but the voice is very close to Halle's thoughts and emotions.
It is an emotional read for those who relate to having a loved one sick but not being able to do much for them.
We also notice the author did great research and it gives an insight into what was like to have the disease or be admitted to a good sanitorium. Very educational also brings us back to the recent pandemic and makes a great discussion to compare then with now.
The cover artwork is stunning.
Thank you Netgalley and Publisher for this e-ARC.
November 3, 2023
This was a magnificent read!
I think it does a good job of reminding people that things like Covid-19's Lockdown in 2020 was not too unfamiliar a challenge for society.
Taking place during the Great Depression and the tail end of the scary days for of TB as a large (though like Covid we do still live with this disease today), the story is told from the perspective of Halle. Halle is a young girl whose mother is sent away to a TB sanitorium that Halle herself ends up in eventually.
The story is a unique look on how chronic illness can have an effect on a whole family and how the trauma and stress of it can impact each individual on a different level and have them reacting in different ways.
A beautiful read.
Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this title. All opinions are my own.
I think it does a good job of reminding people that things like Covid-19's Lockdown in 2020 was not too unfamiliar a challenge for society.
Taking place during the Great Depression and the tail end of the scary days for of TB as a large (though like Covid we do still live with this disease today), the story is told from the perspective of Halle. Halle is a young girl whose mother is sent away to a TB sanitorium that Halle herself ends up in eventually.
The story is a unique look on how chronic illness can have an effect on a whole family and how the trauma and stress of it can impact each individual on a different level and have them reacting in different ways.
A beautiful read.
Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this title. All opinions are my own.
April 8, 2024
A beautiful story about family, love, and friendship. A story about TB, and our local J.N. Adams, in Perrysburg. I loved the characters and the local connection. A fantastic middle grade novel, written by one of my undergrade professors (middle grade Lit).
February 6, 2024
Please accept my application for admission to your 1930s sanatorium.
July 16, 2025
Middle grade historical fiction set in the 1930’s. Main character is Halle. She and her mother are sent to a sanatorium to heal from TB. While TB is beyond scary and takes her mother a long time to recover from, the sanatorium becomes a refuge for Halle where she meets many new friends. A dear friend passes away, Halle has a difficult relationship with her father and there is some sneaking around on Halle’s end (only with hopes of seeing her mother), but this was a very clean and uplifting book. The first I’ve read regarding TB during its height and it was interesting to me as well. Definitely recommend!
August 9, 2024
Reminded me of Kate Albus’s A Place to Hang the Moon. Very sweet, but maybe a little too sweet to appeal widely. Definitely recommend for 7-9 year old girls. It’s the type of book homeschoolers LOVE, and I hope it finds a big audience and the attention it deserves in the homeschool community!
February 2, 2025
In the 1930's people were sent away when they had tuberculosis. The book is based on a real hospital near Buffalo. I found out, after reading, that my grandmother and her sister were sent to this actual hospital when they were girls with TB!
November 2, 2023
Reviewing for a professional journal
notes-on-unfinished-books
May 25, 2024I read three chapters.
Wendell does an excellent job of building narrative voice and using well-chosen details to build the setting. I appreciate the poetic touches in the prose that enhanced the mood of the book. The plot moves pretty well, but I don't feel a lot of tension about where it's going.
Wendell does an excellent job of building narrative voice and using well-chosen details to build the setting. I appreciate the poetic touches in the prose that enhanced the mood of the book. The plot moves pretty well, but I don't feel a lot of tension about where it's going.
March 12, 2024
Excellent middle grade historical fiction choice! Additional info about the JN Adam Sanitorium and the treatment of TB after the story.
4.25 stars for me and a 2-day read.
4.25 stars for me and a 2-day read.
July 20, 2024
A sweet and sad story of hope and healing.
January 23, 2024
Will purchase to beef up this time period in HF section.
February 12, 2024
Rating: 4.5 stars
Light and Air is a delightful story about 10-year-old Hallelujah (Halle) Newton and her struggles as her mother fights tuberculosis and her relationship with her father. This story was well written for a middle-grade book and was a sweet short read. Halle felt like a realistic 10-year-old and her struggles with her mother and father and relationships with friends felt strong and well-written. There are some mild Christian themes such as talking about going to church, being mad at God, etc. But they were presented in a light enough way that I believe Christians and non Christians alike would enjoy this story. My only reason this didn't get a full five stars is that some relationships with characters such as Viv, Rita, Flossie, and other kids could have been built upon a little better, but overall this was a lovely read. If you are emotionally sensitive you may want to grab a box of tissues near the end.
Age Rating: 10+
I would say 10 and up is a good age for this story. The writing is simple and easy to read but younger children may struggle with some concepts in the story such as Halle's father being emotionally distant and harsh, death, etc. Of course, this all depends on the maturity of your child. Overall this is a good clean read.
For the first time since Mama had gone, Halle felt almost normal.
Some people could make you feel full of light and hope, while others flattened you right down and made you feel like nothing.
She hoped she'f grow up to be one of the light-givers.
Light and Air is a delightful story about 10-year-old Hallelujah (Halle) Newton and her struggles as her mother fights tuberculosis and her relationship with her father. This story was well written for a middle-grade book and was a sweet short read. Halle felt like a realistic 10-year-old and her struggles with her mother and father and relationships with friends felt strong and well-written. There are some mild Christian themes such as talking about going to church, being mad at God, etc. But they were presented in a light enough way that I believe Christians and non Christians alike would enjoy this story. My only reason this didn't get a full five stars is that some relationships with characters such as Viv, Rita, Flossie, and other kids could have been built upon a little better, but overall this was a lovely read. If you are emotionally sensitive you may want to grab a box of tissues near the end.
Age Rating: 10+
I would say 10 and up is a good age for this story. The writing is simple and easy to read but younger children may struggle with some concepts in the story such as Halle's father being emotionally distant and harsh, death, etc. Of course, this all depends on the maturity of your child. Overall this is a good clean read.
December 29, 2023
In short, I loved this book! Here's why -
It's 1935 and tuberculosis is sweeping the nation, bringing fear to many Americans. When 11-year-old Halle's perpetually healthy mother is stricken with this dreaded disease, Halle fears she may lose her. To make things worse, she is left in the care of her father while her mother is receiving medical care at a sanitorium. Halle and her father have a difficult relationship. When Halle sets off on her own to escape her father's harsh behavior and join her mother at the sanitorium, she ends up becoming a patient there herself. The book's author, Mindy Nichols Wendell, did a great job describing the sanitorium's breathtaking grounds as well as the staff and other patients who Halle spends many months with. This is a wonderful historical fiction account of the tuberculosis epidemic in America. I learned a lot about TB from this sweet story overflowing with themes of friendship and found family. There were a few moments that felt a little preachy, but they were minimal and didn't deter me from thoroughly enjoying this book.
Thanks to Holiday House / Peachtree / Pixel+Ink and NetGalley for a review copy of this wonderful book.
It's 1935 and tuberculosis is sweeping the nation, bringing fear to many Americans. When 11-year-old Halle's perpetually healthy mother is stricken with this dreaded disease, Halle fears she may lose her. To make things worse, she is left in the care of her father while her mother is receiving medical care at a sanitorium. Halle and her father have a difficult relationship. When Halle sets off on her own to escape her father's harsh behavior and join her mother at the sanitorium, she ends up becoming a patient there herself. The book's author, Mindy Nichols Wendell, did a great job describing the sanitorium's breathtaking grounds as well as the staff and other patients who Halle spends many months with. This is a wonderful historical fiction account of the tuberculosis epidemic in America. I learned a lot about TB from this sweet story overflowing with themes of friendship and found family. There were a few moments that felt a little preachy, but they were minimal and didn't deter me from thoroughly enjoying this book.
Thanks to Holiday House / Peachtree / Pixel+Ink and NetGalley for a review copy of this wonderful book.
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