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Found Things
Experience the wonder of the river in this haunting debut novel, where family is lost, friends are found, and hope runs in the current.One morning, River Rose Byrne wakes up talking like nobody else, and she doesn't know why. Maybe it's because her beloved older brother, Theron, has abruptly vanished. Maybe it's because that bully Daniel Bunch won't leave her alone. Or maybe it has everything to do with the eerily familiar house that her mind explores when she's asleep, and the mysterious woman who lives there. River has to puzzle through these mysteries on her own until she makes a strange new friend named Meadow Lark. But when she brings Meadow Lark home and her mother reacts in a way that takes River by surprise, River is more lost than before. Now all that's left for her to do is make wish after wish;and keep her eyes open for a miracle. Marilyn Hilton's haunting debut dives down deep into murky waters brimming with secrets, sorrow, and hope, giving us faith in the things that we seek, but haven't yet found.
240 pages, Hardcover
First published July 1, 2014
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
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December 12, 2021Quiet, melancholy, and slow…..SO good
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October 13, 2021Probably perfect for a younger reader but I didn’t want to stick with it. I need to try a verse novel by this author because her writing was really great. I just think the target reader is middle grade and I wasn’t feeling it.
September 18, 2017
Can wishes change our lives? Can wishing bring back to us the things we have lost?
River Rose Bryne wishes to find “a friend that is almost like a sister”. She wishes to find her run-away brother. She wishes to find the missing pieces of her own past. She wishes the class bully would leave her alone. River finds she isn’t the only one who wishes. As she and new friend Meadow Lark send their wishes floating along the river, the river seems almost to answer.
Marilyn Hilton’s Found Things offers a wealth of talking points ideal for a fourth to sixth grade classroom read aloud. Hilton incorporates both common and not so common obstacles tweens encounter in this realistic fiction story. Bullying, and River’s interesting response to it, is a wonderful topic for further analysis and understanding that people are neither bad nor good. We might just find that our differences don’t matter as much as we think and that these differences connect us in ways we never imagined.
River also has many items, “found things”, given to her by the river that she uses to create a collage of her life. What items, memories, or wishes do we carry around that shape the collage of our own lives?
River Rose Bryne wishes to find “a friend that is almost like a sister”. She wishes to find her run-away brother. She wishes to find the missing pieces of her own past. She wishes the class bully would leave her alone. River finds she isn’t the only one who wishes. As she and new friend Meadow Lark send their wishes floating along the river, the river seems almost to answer.
Marilyn Hilton’s Found Things offers a wealth of talking points ideal for a fourth to sixth grade classroom read aloud. Hilton incorporates both common and not so common obstacles tweens encounter in this realistic fiction story. Bullying, and River’s interesting response to it, is a wonderful topic for further analysis and understanding that people are neither bad nor good. We might just find that our differences don’t matter as much as we think and that these differences connect us in ways we never imagined.
River also has many items, “found things”, given to her by the river that she uses to create a collage of her life. What items, memories, or wishes do we carry around that shape the collage of our own lives?
March 16, 2017
3.5 stars
August 16, 2015
Lyrical, quiet and dreamlike, this introspective book about secrets, loss, and hope, conveys bottled-up emotion. What would it feel like to be adopted, but not allowed to ask about your biological mother? What would it feel like to have your older brother walk out of your life? The main character is an 11 year-old girl assembling a collage from bits and pieces of objects she finds along the river bank. She befriends the new girl in school who teaches her how to make wishes by writing them on strips of paper or thinking them onto caught feathers and floating them on the river.
"You have to make a big, crazy wish that you'd never, ever believe would come true. It has to be so big and crazy that it hurts to make and would break your heart if it didn't come true."
Perfect for an upper elementary student looking for a short book to use in an alternative format report, Found Things is tailor-made for a collage: either wishes on strips of paper, upcycled objects, or both.
Beautiful phrasing:
"Secrets are holy things."
"Wishes floated everywhere."
"Miracles are what's left after everything else is used up."
"I always felt like a song in the wrong key."
I loved the quiet mysteries. Is the house in River's mind imaginary? a dream? or a memory? Why did she wake up one day speaking in dialect? But there's one mystery I wish had been explored more fully: Meadow Lark.
"You have to make a big, crazy wish that you'd never, ever believe would come true. It has to be so big and crazy that it hurts to make and would break your heart if it didn't come true."
Perfect for an upper elementary student looking for a short book to use in an alternative format report, Found Things is tailor-made for a collage: either wishes on strips of paper, upcycled objects, or both.
Beautiful phrasing:
"Secrets are holy things."
"Wishes floated everywhere."
"Miracles are what's left after everything else is used up."
"I always felt like a song in the wrong key."
I loved the quiet mysteries. Is the house in River's mind imaginary? a dream? or a memory? Why did she wake up one day speaking in dialect? But there's one mystery I wish had been explored more fully: Meadow Lark.
May 17, 2017
This is a lyrical children's novel about the things we wish for and the things we find. It is well-written, with compelling force and flow. Most readers will likely figure out the mysteries before the main character does, but the writing and characters are engrossing enough that the reader will want to keep reader to see if their summations are correct.
There are a few minor weakness. The metaphor of the river, which is central to this story, is overt and potentially over-laden for some readers' taste; I noticed this, but was not personally bothered by it. More significantly, I wished the conclusion had been more fully articulated. An abrupt ending makes for a dissatisfying and shallow terminus to the deepening and eddying journeys of mutual discovery that the reader has been on with the characters. It is not the specific resolutions of the various plot points that is wanting, but the stark suddenness with which the main character encounters the answers she has sought that awkwardly disturbs the naturalness of the plot flow until that point by summarily winding up in a few pages conclusion that the entire novel has been building towards. This felt flat, rather than emotionally rewarding. As a reader, I felt pulled out of the current of the story just before it ended, when I longed to be carried all the way through the last page. Still, this was a wonderful book, with endearing characters, evocative imagery, and emotional depth.
There are a few minor weakness. The metaphor of the river, which is central to this story, is overt and potentially over-laden for some readers' taste; I noticed this, but was not personally bothered by it. More significantly, I wished the conclusion had been more fully articulated. An abrupt ending makes for a dissatisfying and shallow terminus to the deepening and eddying journeys of mutual discovery that the reader has been on with the characters. It is not the specific resolutions of the various plot points that is wanting, but the stark suddenness with which the main character encounters the answers she has sought that awkwardly disturbs the naturalness of the plot flow until that point by summarily winding up in a few pages conclusion that the entire novel has been building towards. This felt flat, rather than emotionally rewarding. As a reader, I felt pulled out of the current of the story just before it ended, when I longed to be carried all the way through the last page. Still, this was a wonderful book, with endearing characters, evocative imagery, and emotional depth.
October 2, 2014
A quiet story that unfolds one small bit at a time. River is adopted and her older brother ran off several months ago. She spends time at the river near her house and collects things she has found, but what she wants to find, and can't, is her brother Theron. She friends a new girl named Meadow Lark who has her own secrets. Ultimately this is a wonderful story about family, the love we share, and the secrets we keep because of our love. I enjoyed how the story played out, generating new questions or wondering about the characters.
January 13, 2015
For some reason, I thought this book was about a kid who found things and something actually magical happened. It is not. I realized that a few chapters in but kept reading anyway. I almost didn't make it a few chapters because of the weird verbiage thing though. This is a sweet book about friendship and family and just the different ways love can look. It didn't take long to read, and I liked it.
September 21, 2017
Entertaining story. I liked it, but didn't love it all the way. Pretty cool story. The main characters are sweet and the story was smooth flowing. There was a back mystery to it and I loved how it spread out. Hate to say this, but i felt like there was some magic missing from it. Still love how it is written. Beautiful story.
July 25, 2014
This has got to be an award winner! What a beautiful, story that keeps you reading and wanting. The cast of characters is so well knitted together with edgy and colorful thread. I loved it! This is a first novel for the author and I surely do look forward to seeing more from her.
August 15, 2014
The first sentence of this book made me hate it, but I decided to keep reading. Thank goodness I did. The story just kept getting better and better. I felt the author left one characters storyline just hanging at the end and I did not like that. All in all I liked the book.
July 13, 2015
River's family is broken hearted when her brother runs away from home. Then River makes a new friend and everything changes. There is some question about Meadow Lark's identity that will leave the reader wondering. A thoughtful book about family secrets, angels, and wishes.
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June 23, 2015This middle grade novel is the story of River Rose Byrne, a girl who searches for a miracle by sending wishes down the river. Find it at JMRL: http://aries.jmrl.org/record=b1310951~S9
July 5, 2015
bookaday #50. Lots of questions while reading this book... I like the line from the first page: "miracles are what's left after everything else is used up."
March 22, 2017
very touching book. makes you hold onto friendship and family even more. because everyday is a treasure. I love how meadow lark is so head strong and how she brings friendship to river
November 2, 2025
3.2 stars
a short and underwhelming story with some interesting elements; its failings less about being actively bad but more with being very dull.
for a slice of life, the setting and characters are far too weak to make an actually good book. the writing itself is fine, the voice tried to have an interesting accent but it was too mild for it to be very noticeable when reading, but the description is clearly lacking. appearances, places, and emotions are either not shown, or just told. i thought that the river setting had a lot of missed protentional, if it could have been better descried and shown i think the book would have been quite a lot less dull. the major exception to this is the scenes of the mind-house, which are not only well shown but also one of my favorite aspects of the book!
i loved the more "supernatural" and more creative aspects of the book, as i did come into this book thinking it would be a magical realism; and though it was not that some similar elements are still present. the sending of wishes and the mentions of angels and the mind-house were all great, as well as meadow lark as a character being somewhat intertying (but still falling to the flaws of all the other characters). the charters are quite flat and felt hard to connect to or care about, probably in large part due to the overall reliance on telling rather then showing.
the plot is kind of all over the place, while also being very sparce at the same time. i thought that what the plot was actually about could have been interesting, but the handing of it was sub-pair. there are quite a few different plot threads happening, but they are mostly either mentioned only once or twice and then reveled almost a hundred pages later with nothing in between, or repeatedly mentioned with no real development or change until the ending. the main expectation to this is Daniel, which things do actually happen with him and his part in the story, but though they are better than the rest of the book it is far from good (due to the underlining writing and character issues). the ending felt like it was far too perfect as well, with all the little plot threads simply being tied together in a sentence or two, with no real effort from the main character. everything just turned out fine in the end, which felt quite unrealistic. i also believe that the running away aspect could have been handled with more care and thought, feeling quite unrealistic in particular.
did i enjoy it? -sometimes
would i read it again? -no
would i have read it knowing what i do after? -maybe
a short and underwhelming story with some interesting elements; its failings less about being actively bad but more with being very dull.
for a slice of life, the setting and characters are far too weak to make an actually good book. the writing itself is fine, the voice tried to have an interesting accent but it was too mild for it to be very noticeable when reading, but the description is clearly lacking. appearances, places, and emotions are either not shown, or just told. i thought that the river setting had a lot of missed protentional, if it could have been better descried and shown i think the book would have been quite a lot less dull. the major exception to this is the scenes of the mind-house, which are not only well shown but also one of my favorite aspects of the book!
i loved the more "supernatural" and more creative aspects of the book, as i did come into this book thinking it would be a magical realism; and though it was not that some similar elements are still present. the sending of wishes and the mentions of angels and the mind-house were all great, as well as meadow lark as a character being somewhat intertying (but still falling to the flaws of all the other characters). the charters are quite flat and felt hard to connect to or care about, probably in large part due to the overall reliance on telling rather then showing.
the plot is kind of all over the place, while also being very sparce at the same time. i thought that what the plot was actually about could have been interesting, but the handing of it was sub-pair. there are quite a few different plot threads happening, but they are mostly either mentioned only once or twice and then reveled almost a hundred pages later with nothing in between, or repeatedly mentioned with no real development or change until the ending. the main expectation to this is Daniel, which things do actually happen with him and his part in the story, but though they are better than the rest of the book it is far from good (due to the underlining writing and character issues). the ending felt like it was far too perfect as well, with all the little plot threads simply being tied together in a sentence or two, with no real effort from the main character. everything just turned out fine in the end, which felt quite unrealistic. i also believe that the running away aspect could have been handled with more care and thought, feeling quite unrealistic in particular.
did i enjoy it? -sometimes
would i read it again? -no
would i have read it knowing what i do after? -maybe
February 28, 2018
For quite awhile now, River Rose Byrne has been wondering about and searching for her missing brother, Theron. In the meantime, she befriends mysterious, somewhat odd Meadow Lark Frankenfield, "her name was one of the only pretty things about her." Author Marilyn Hilton's description of Meadow Lark includes "a popped out eye" and "a strange way of walking".
As the story progresses, there are quiet character traits of River that the reader comes to see as a result (side effect?) of the trauma of Theron's disappearance, one being her taking up the habit of intentionally filling her speech with poor grammar. To help heal River's spirit, Meadow Lark teaches her the trick of writing down wishes and sending them down the river near the town library. Sidenote: I loved the imagery of a library set up next to a river!
One of the fun elements that keeps this story moving is the sense of mystery Hilton writes around the character of Meadow Lark, all the questions around her origin story. Is there some true magic to her? Why does River's mother respond so powerfully to her?
One of River wishes is for the school bully to disappear. When said bully ends up in the hospital, River is surprised... maybe gives a glance in Meadow Lark's direction, but then reminds herself that she doesn't believe in things like magic / angels / miracles, so it's just a wild coincidence! Right?
As River's emotions regarding her missing brother continue to escalate, overflowing to the point of affecting other aspects of her life, Meadow Lark is there to teach her the importance of maintaining hope & faith -- even just a grain of it -- in life.
There was such a wonderful sense of childhood magic and whimsy infused into this book! There's a dreamlike quality that runs through the whole thing, but also quite a bit of depth when it comes to incorporated themes. Quite a feat for a debut novel! If you are a fanatic for beautiful language and all things lyrical, I highly encourage you to seek out Found Things and give it go!
As the story progresses, there are quiet character traits of River that the reader comes to see as a result (side effect?) of the trauma of Theron's disappearance, one being her taking up the habit of intentionally filling her speech with poor grammar. To help heal River's spirit, Meadow Lark teaches her the trick of writing down wishes and sending them down the river near the town library. Sidenote: I loved the imagery of a library set up next to a river!
One of the fun elements that keeps this story moving is the sense of mystery Hilton writes around the character of Meadow Lark, all the questions around her origin story. Is there some true magic to her? Why does River's mother respond so powerfully to her?
One of River wishes is for the school bully to disappear. When said bully ends up in the hospital, River is surprised... maybe gives a glance in Meadow Lark's direction, but then reminds herself that she doesn't believe in things like magic / angels / miracles, so it's just a wild coincidence! Right?
As River's emotions regarding her missing brother continue to escalate, overflowing to the point of affecting other aspects of her life, Meadow Lark is there to teach her the importance of maintaining hope & faith -- even just a grain of it -- in life.
There was such a wonderful sense of childhood magic and whimsy infused into this book! There's a dreamlike quality that runs through the whole thing, but also quite a bit of depth when it comes to incorporated themes. Quite a feat for a debut novel! If you are a fanatic for beautiful language and all things lyrical, I highly encourage you to seek out Found Things and give it go!
July 20, 2018
I know I'll be going against most of the reviews here but I only just liked this book. It was cute and overall a fast and easy read but it just...was kind of boring.
It was a story about finding out who you are, loving of a family and friends. There are some heavy issues like adoption and drunk driving. Not so heavy that the age group can't read it, it's actually perfect for this age group. I also usually LOVE this age group.
I found the way the main character talked annoying, despite it being deliberate. It was just, annoying. The writing besides that was alright.
Will I read again? No but glad I did give it a chance.
It was a story about finding out who you are, loving of a family and friends. There are some heavy issues like adoption and drunk driving. Not so heavy that the age group can't read it, it's actually perfect for this age group. I also usually LOVE this age group.
I found the way the main character talked annoying, despite it being deliberate. It was just, annoying. The writing besides that was alright.
Will I read again? No but glad I did give it a chance.
October 11, 2020
This was a really great, short book to read. It had a really interesting story plot and such but I found one issue, it was predictable. I was no more than halfway through the book when I realized how it was gonna end. But otherwise, it was really nice. :)
August 5, 2018
A sweet story!
March 16, 2017
I loved this book until about the last chapter or two. It's beautifully written, mysterious, and full of fantastic characters. I appreciated Meadow Lark's character the most, who came in with the floods and found the mysterious wishing log, but I wasn't satisfied with how she was left. In contrast, the other mysteries were wrapped up too nicely. Readers spend their time exploring these interwoven mysteries, and, suddenly, we have all the answers and everyone is happy. I think those peaceful resolutions are meant to suggest that Meadow Lark is the angel mama's been waiting for, but it was still too tidy for my taste.
I'm not sure this book is a good choice for young children. There is nothing controversial about the story or the characters, not really, but the layout of the book is a bit complex--hopping through time, trying to make sense of her visions (or memories). It's fairly sophisticated, and I'd recommend it more for ages 11-17.
I'm not sure this book is a good choice for young children. There is nothing controversial about the story or the characters, not really, but the layout of the book is a bit complex--hopping through time, trying to make sense of her visions (or memories). It's fairly sophisticated, and I'd recommend it more for ages 11-17.
December 19, 2016
There are lots of mysteries in River Rose Byrne's life. Her brother Theron has left home and no one knows where he is. River has begun speaking in a strange accent used by no one else she knows. Meadow Lark, her new friend, has suddenly moved in with her family while her father is out of town, and she has unexplained scars on her body. Strangest of all, River has recurring daydreams about a house, a place unfamiliar and yet unshakably intriguing. The truth is slow to come to light, but River remains hopeful, tossing wishes into the river behind her house and waiting for them to come true.
Stylistically and structurally, this dreamlike debut novel is a strong piece of writing. The unusual plot and its seemingly unrelated elements make for a compelling reading experience, during which the reader empathizes deeply with River's feelings of uncertainty and unsettlement. There are enough clues in the story that most readers could piece together much of the resolution on their own, but even if they have figured it out, they will want to keep reading to see if they are right. River and Meadow Lark are both such intriguing characters with so many unspoken secret layers, they alone provide enough reason to see this story through to the end.
Despite its lyrical beauty, however, there are some problems with this book. One is that the main character's name is River. In a story where an actual river is an important symbol and a chief setting, it is overkill to also name the main character River. The truth about River's past that is revealed at the end of the book makes it seem even more forced and ridiculous that this should be her name. Another problem is the "accent" that River uses. As the narrator, she tells the story in this odd dialect which is difficult to read to oneself, and completely precludes the book from ever being used as a read-aloud. Though the reason for the accent is revealed, it is not enough of a pay-off for having to struggle through page after page of a character speaking in that way. Finally, Meadow Lark's story is never fully resolved. There are enough hints at the truth about her that readers can probably guess what is going on with her, but kids also like to have it spelled out for them, and this book fails to tie up that one loose end.
Found Things is very similar in tone and subject matter to Eleven by Patricia Reilly Giff and As Simple As It Seems by Sarah Weeks. For readers of very serious middle grade fiction, this will be a treat. For others, it might be a harder sell, but it's certainly worth the effort it may take to convince readers to give it a chance.
Stylistically and structurally, this dreamlike debut novel is a strong piece of writing. The unusual plot and its seemingly unrelated elements make for a compelling reading experience, during which the reader empathizes deeply with River's feelings of uncertainty and unsettlement. There are enough clues in the story that most readers could piece together much of the resolution on their own, but even if they have figured it out, they will want to keep reading to see if they are right. River and Meadow Lark are both such intriguing characters with so many unspoken secret layers, they alone provide enough reason to see this story through to the end.
Despite its lyrical beauty, however, there are some problems with this book. One is that the main character's name is River. In a story where an actual river is an important symbol and a chief setting, it is overkill to also name the main character River. The truth about River's past that is revealed at the end of the book makes it seem even more forced and ridiculous that this should be her name. Another problem is the "accent" that River uses. As the narrator, she tells the story in this odd dialect which is difficult to read to oneself, and completely precludes the book from ever being used as a read-aloud. Though the reason for the accent is revealed, it is not enough of a pay-off for having to struggle through page after page of a character speaking in that way. Finally, Meadow Lark's story is never fully resolved. There are enough hints at the truth about her that readers can probably guess what is going on with her, but kids also like to have it spelled out for them, and this book fails to tie up that one loose end.
Found Things is very similar in tone and subject matter to Eleven by Patricia Reilly Giff and As Simple As It Seems by Sarah Weeks. For readers of very serious middle grade fiction, this will be a treat. For others, it might be a harder sell, but it's certainly worth the effort it may take to convince readers to give it a chance.
September 15, 2014
Pages: 234
Lexile Level: 780L
Summary:
River Rose has many issues going on in her life. First her brother has run away and mother and father are hoping he will come back. Also, River Rose has been introduced to a new girl at school, Meadow Lark. The new girl has special needs; she has a disfigured face and she walks differently than everyone else. River ignores Meadow at first, but soon sees that it is not right to do. River is also working on a collage in art class. This collage is for her Mom and ironically it is all kinds of things that she finds in the river by her house. Ironically, Meadow and River meet while River is collecting things for her collage and for various reasons Meadow comes to live with River. Weird things start happening while Meadow is living with them and nobody can truly figure out what is keeping her father away so long.
I would recommend this for the Newbery Award because it talks about a lot of issues that are relevant in today’s society while combining a mysterious aura to the plot line that will keep readers wanting to find out what happens next.
Stars: 3 out of 5
Reviewed By: Jen T.
Lexile Level: 780L
Summary:
River Rose has many issues going on in her life. First her brother has run away and mother and father are hoping he will come back. Also, River Rose has been introduced to a new girl at school, Meadow Lark. The new girl has special needs; she has a disfigured face and she walks differently than everyone else. River ignores Meadow at first, but soon sees that it is not right to do. River is also working on a collage in art class. This collage is for her Mom and ironically it is all kinds of things that she finds in the river by her house. Ironically, Meadow and River meet while River is collecting things for her collage and for various reasons Meadow comes to live with River. Weird things start happening while Meadow is living with them and nobody can truly figure out what is keeping her father away so long.
I would recommend this for the Newbery Award because it talks about a lot of issues that are relevant in today’s society while combining a mysterious aura to the plot line that will keep readers wanting to find out what happens next.
Stars: 3 out of 5
Reviewed By: Jen T.
September 15, 2014
Pages: 234
Lexile Level: 780L
Summary:
River Rose has many issues going on in her life. First her brother has run away and mother and father are hoping he will come back. Also, River Rose has been introduced to a new girl at school, Meadow Lark. The new girl has special needs; she has a disfigured face and she walks differently than everyone else. River ignores Meadow at first, but soon sees that it is not right to do. River is also working on a collage in art class. This collage is for her Mom and ironically it is all kinds of things that she finds in the river by her house. Ironically, Meadow and River meet while River is collecting things for her collage and for various reasons Meadow comes to live with River. Weird things start happening while Meadow is living with them and nobody can truly figure out what is keeping her father away so long.
I would recommend this for the Newbery Award because it talks about a lot of issues that are relevant in today’s society while combining a mysterious aura to the plot line that will keep readers wanting to find out what happens next.
Stars: 3 out of 5
Reviewed By: Jen T.
Lexile Level: 780L
Summary:
River Rose has many issues going on in her life. First her brother has run away and mother and father are hoping he will come back. Also, River Rose has been introduced to a new girl at school, Meadow Lark. The new girl has special needs; she has a disfigured face and she walks differently than everyone else. River ignores Meadow at first, but soon sees that it is not right to do. River is also working on a collage in art class. This collage is for her Mom and ironically it is all kinds of things that she finds in the river by her house. Ironically, Meadow and River meet while River is collecting things for her collage and for various reasons Meadow comes to live with River. Weird things start happening while Meadow is living with them and nobody can truly figure out what is keeping her father away so long.
I would recommend this for the Newbery Award because it talks about a lot of issues that are relevant in today’s society while combining a mysterious aura to the plot line that will keep readers wanting to find out what happens next.
Stars: 3 out of 5
Reviewed By: Jen T.
October 1, 2014
In people's whole lifespans, we always found something important or something look very important for us. In the long journey of searching way, we always miss the things what around us or people who always accompany with us. Maybe some of us do not care about it. But when we recall the memory by ourselves, we will miss the process more than results.
River Rose Byrne lost herself in the researching way. She always wanted to find out something important for her. In fact, she lost the most important thing for her.
When I read this book, I found that River Rose Byrne looks like me, I always want to find the important things for me. I always ignore the people around me, they give me more encourage to help me obtain my goal. In this long journey, they do not care more about themselves. I will cherish these friends.
River Rose Byrne lost herself in the researching way. She always wanted to find out something important for her. In fact, she lost the most important thing for her.
When I read this book, I found that River Rose Byrne looks like me, I always want to find the important things for me. I always ignore the people around me, they give me more encourage to help me obtain my goal. In this long journey, they do not care more about themselves. I will cherish these friends.
July 13, 2016
The first thing that comes to my mind when thinking back to this novel is "Cute!". It was a short but quite satisfying little story about this little girl who don't really know how to handle herself, how to grow up, following a troublesome big brother, and missing him. A tale about friendship and family, mostly.
I loved the style, very simple, very clean. The main character is a pure Mary Sue, which annoyed me at times, but since I'm not the targeted public of the book, I will pin that little problem on the fact that it is a pre-teen novel. And it made me love Meadow Lark a bit more, even though her name is terrible, in my opinion. I liked the story, the magical realism, with the granted wishes, never clearly defined as real or not. River's parents are really well written and credible.
It is not an incredible book, but it is short, so it is well worth the time.
I loved the style, very simple, very clean. The main character is a pure Mary Sue, which annoyed me at times, but since I'm not the targeted public of the book, I will pin that little problem on the fact that it is a pre-teen novel. And it made me love Meadow Lark a bit more, even though her name is terrible, in my opinion. I liked the story, the magical realism, with the granted wishes, never clearly defined as real or not. River's parents are really well written and credible.
It is not an incredible book, but it is short, so it is well worth the time.
October 21, 2015
River Rose's older brother disappears after a car accident and the rest of her family changes with him gone. She turns to the river that runs by her house for comfort, something that she both loves and fears. When a new girl shows up at school, River is at first afraid to become friends with her. But as she watches Meadow Lark, she finds herself wishing that she could be friends with her, wishing for one true friend. Meadow Lark is certain that wishes floated on the river will come true, but River is scared of this new power. She just wants things back the way they were before. A gentle book of self-discovery and understanding. Grades 5-7.
September 12, 2014
River Rose Byrne collects things. She is always searching. For her brother who had to leave. Maybe looking for something she isn't even aware of - yet. She is lost and bullied at school. One day there is a new girl. A very different girl. Meadow Lark Frankenfirld. Can they help each other find what they need?
I did have some issues - River's language issues from the trauma seemed not quite real and was distracting at first. It took a bit to get into the rhythm of this book. I did like the mysterious, magical element. It does have it's own potential audience. Maybe a 3 1/2 star.
I did have some issues - River's language issues from the trauma seemed not quite real and was distracting at first. It took a bit to get into the rhythm of this book. I did like the mysterious, magical element. It does have it's own potential audience. Maybe a 3 1/2 star.
November 2, 2015
There were too many loose ends at the conclusion of this book. I knew (spoiler alert) that the bridge, the river, and the dreams River has throughout the story were tied to her real mom, June, so that plot reveal was anti-climactic.
The friendship with Meadow Lark confused me. I kept thinking she was going to be a figment of River's imagination. Meadow Lark stays with River's family, and nobody ever speaks to her dad or makes any contact with him? What about her scars? Hospital stays? All of the unfinished pieces related to Meadow Lark are frustrating.
The friendship with Meadow Lark confused me. I kept thinking she was going to be a figment of River's imagination. Meadow Lark stays with River's family, and nobody ever speaks to her dad or makes any contact with him? What about her scars? Hospital stays? All of the unfinished pieces related to Meadow Lark are frustrating.
August 1, 2014
Found Things by Marilyn Hilton is a simple, sweet story about River, a young girl trying to make sense of her life and figure out who she really is. A new friend, a bully and a missing brother all come together to reveal a mystery that River knew existed but didn't quite know how to solve. I loved River and her friend, Meadow Lark, and really cared about what happened to them. The book is not action-packed, but will keep you reading to the end.
~Jan
~Jan
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