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A Day of Signs and Wonders
Can your whole life change in a single day?
Emily dreams of birds. She feels constrained by nearly everything—her overbearing sisters, the expectation to be a proper young lady, and even her stiff white pinafore.
Kitty feels undone. Her heart is still grieving a tragic loss, and she doesn’t want to be sent away to a boarding school so far away from home.
When the two girls meet by chance, on a beach on the outskirts of Victoria, BC, in 1881, neither knows that their one day together will change their lives forever.
Inspired by the childhood of acclaimed Canadian artist Emily Carr, A Day of Signs and Wonders is a sensitive and insightful look at friendship, family, and the foundations of an artist, drawn over the course of a single day—a day in which a comet appears, an artist is born and an aching hole in one girl’s heart begins to heal.
Emily dreams of birds. She feels constrained by nearly everything—her overbearing sisters, the expectation to be a proper young lady, and even her stiff white pinafore.
Kitty feels undone. Her heart is still grieving a tragic loss, and she doesn’t want to be sent away to a boarding school so far away from home.
When the two girls meet by chance, on a beach on the outskirts of Victoria, BC, in 1881, neither knows that their one day together will change their lives forever.
Inspired by the childhood of acclaimed Canadian artist Emily Carr, A Day of Signs and Wonders is a sensitive and insightful look at friendship, family, and the foundations of an artist, drawn over the course of a single day—a day in which a comet appears, an artist is born and an aching hole in one girl’s heart begins to heal.
224 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2016
3 people are currently reading
180 people want to read
About the author
Kit Pearson
34 books280 followersKit Pearson spent her childhood between Edmonton Alberta and Vancouver, British Columbia. As a high-school student, she returned to Vancouver to be educated at Crofton House School. She obtained a degree in English Literature at the University of Alberta, and spent several years following the degree doing odd jobs or travelling in Europe.
In 1975, she began her Library degree at the University of British Columbia and took her first jobs in that field in Ontario. She later obtained an M.A. at the Simmons College Center for the Study of Children's Literature in Boston. Returning to Vancouver, she completed her first novel "The Daring Game" which was published by Penguin Books.
Pearson now lives in Victoria, British Columbia, a few blocks from Ross Bay Cemetery, one of the settings in Awake and Dreaming.
In 1975, she began her Library degree at the University of British Columbia and took her first jobs in that field in Ontario. She later obtained an M.A. at the Simmons College Center for the Study of Children's Literature in Boston. Returning to Vancouver, she completed her first novel "The Daring Game" which was published by Penguin Books.
Pearson now lives in Victoria, British Columbia, a few blocks from Ross Bay Cemetery, one of the settings in Awake and Dreaming.
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
October 24, 2017
In A Perfect Gentle Knight acclaimed Canadian children’s author Kit Pearson wrote one of the finest, most beautiful and powerful books I know about the impact of a mother’s death and suppressed grief on a family of creative, imaginative children. Her depiction of the breakdown of the eldest son is moving and absolutely pitch perfect. Because I was so impressed with that earlier novel for older children, I was eager to see how Pearson would handle a story about the childhood of Canada’s foremost West-Coast artist Emily Carr, who would later gain fame for her vibrant paintings of indigenous villages in British Columbia (as well as for her eccentricity). Carr kept a boarding house at one point—the subject of one of her many autobiographical works, and throughout her life had a special bond with animals—including a Javanese monkey called Woo.
In A Day of Signs and Wonders nine-and-a-half-year-old Emily and her eleven-year-old sister, Alice, have been sent across town (Victoria, British Columbia) to stay at the home of family friends, the Cranes, so that their elder sisters can attend without distraction to their ailing mother. Mrs. Carr, who has long been ill with tuberculosis, is now in a precarious state. It is possible she will die. Already full of anxiety about their mother, these young girls have to adjust to a new routine in the Crane home. Emily chafes against the rules and prescriptions of Mrs. Crane, who finds the child wild and incorrigible. Up before everyone one morning, a barefoot and not-fully-dressed Emily leaves the Crane house to enjoy the morning before facing yet another unhappy, Mrs. Crane-managed day. And so the adventure begins.
Though the sun is just rising, another girl, Kitty O’Reilly, 13 (who lives next door to the Cranes), has beaten Emily to her destination: a beach on a Pacific inlet. Kitty has her own consuming worries: her sister, “Pop” (Mary Augusta), died two years before, and Kitty has not been able to move forward. In fact, she increasingly fears leaving the family home. Today is Pop’s birthday, but no one in the family seems to remember this. The future does not look any brighter: Kitty’s well-to-do English parents are planning to send her and her younger brother to boarding school in Britain at the end of the summer.
Though polar opposites—Kitty is domestic and controlled; Emily, wild, brash, and unconventional—the two become friends for a day. Emily has already shown skill at drawing, but Kitty introduces her to watercolours, marvelling at the ambitiousness of Emily’s first sketch and frustrated by her defiance of the rules for painting with watercolours. Learning of Kitty’s despair over her dead sister, Emily suggests visiting a clairvoyant, a Mrs. Tolliver, in town. Emily’s older sister once consulted the woman for guidance about a potential marriage partner. Since Mr. O’Reilly is out of the country at present and Mrs. O’Reilly and Kitty’s brother are out visiting, it is not too much trouble for Kitty to get one of the servants to drive the girls into town. The visit to the clairvoyant doesn’t go quite as planned, however, and the girls’ friendship is tested before the day is out. By day’s end, however, both of the girls will have learned something important.
Pearson has based her book on actual facts from Emily Carr’s life. It is true that Carr and her sister were sent to stay with the Cranes when their mother had a health crisis. The O’Reilly family did live next to the Cranes—on the water. The meeting of Emily and Kitty (both actual people) is where the fiction begins. Pearson uses the contrast that Kitty provides to imaginatively explore what Carr may have been like as a child: willful and wild; already chafing against the rules about how girls are supposed to dress and behave; hot-tempered and brusque; but also deeply sensitive to animals (preferring them over humans) and possessing unconventional beliefs about God—i.e., that his spirit and energy infuse the world and the creatures in it . . . and can even be present in a beautiful painting.
Pearson’s Emily is mostly believable, though a tad precocious in philosophical matters. Even so, I found this a delightful book and a pleasure to read. It made me want to return to Carr’s own body of autobiographical works, some of which Pearson relied on to create this fine piece of children’s literature.
In A Day of Signs and Wonders nine-and-a-half-year-old Emily and her eleven-year-old sister, Alice, have been sent across town (Victoria, British Columbia) to stay at the home of family friends, the Cranes, so that their elder sisters can attend without distraction to their ailing mother. Mrs. Carr, who has long been ill with tuberculosis, is now in a precarious state. It is possible she will die. Already full of anxiety about their mother, these young girls have to adjust to a new routine in the Crane home. Emily chafes against the rules and prescriptions of Mrs. Crane, who finds the child wild and incorrigible. Up before everyone one morning, a barefoot and not-fully-dressed Emily leaves the Crane house to enjoy the morning before facing yet another unhappy, Mrs. Crane-managed day. And so the adventure begins.
Though the sun is just rising, another girl, Kitty O’Reilly, 13 (who lives next door to the Cranes), has beaten Emily to her destination: a beach on a Pacific inlet. Kitty has her own consuming worries: her sister, “Pop” (Mary Augusta), died two years before, and Kitty has not been able to move forward. In fact, she increasingly fears leaving the family home. Today is Pop’s birthday, but no one in the family seems to remember this. The future does not look any brighter: Kitty’s well-to-do English parents are planning to send her and her younger brother to boarding school in Britain at the end of the summer.
Though polar opposites—Kitty is domestic and controlled; Emily, wild, brash, and unconventional—the two become friends for a day. Emily has already shown skill at drawing, but Kitty introduces her to watercolours, marvelling at the ambitiousness of Emily’s first sketch and frustrated by her defiance of the rules for painting with watercolours. Learning of Kitty’s despair over her dead sister, Emily suggests visiting a clairvoyant, a Mrs. Tolliver, in town. Emily’s older sister once consulted the woman for guidance about a potential marriage partner. Since Mr. O’Reilly is out of the country at present and Mrs. O’Reilly and Kitty’s brother are out visiting, it is not too much trouble for Kitty to get one of the servants to drive the girls into town. The visit to the clairvoyant doesn’t go quite as planned, however, and the girls’ friendship is tested before the day is out. By day’s end, however, both of the girls will have learned something important.
Pearson has based her book on actual facts from Emily Carr’s life. It is true that Carr and her sister were sent to stay with the Cranes when their mother had a health crisis. The O’Reilly family did live next to the Cranes—on the water. The meeting of Emily and Kitty (both actual people) is where the fiction begins. Pearson uses the contrast that Kitty provides to imaginatively explore what Carr may have been like as a child: willful and wild; already chafing against the rules about how girls are supposed to dress and behave; hot-tempered and brusque; but also deeply sensitive to animals (preferring them over humans) and possessing unconventional beliefs about God—i.e., that his spirit and energy infuse the world and the creatures in it . . . and can even be present in a beautiful painting.
Pearson’s Emily is mostly believable, though a tad precocious in philosophical matters. Even so, I found this a delightful book and a pleasure to read. It made me want to return to Carr’s own body of autobiographical works, some of which Pearson relied on to create this fine piece of children’s literature.
February 2, 2017
Having read some of Kit Pearson's novels for young people before, I thought I'd give this new one a try. It's historical fiction, and while I didn't enjoy it as much as some of her other books (especially the ones with paranormal elements), it was an entertaining story.
I really like reading books where I recognize the setting. In this case, the setting may be familiar... but the time period isn't. Victoria in 1881 is very different from Victoria today. I liked seeing how undeveloped the place was, as just a little "city" that was slowly growing and developing. Some of my ancestors actually ended up there a few years after the events in the book, so it was interesting to see what kind of a place they would've encountered.
The book is mainly a character sketch and follows two young girls throughout one unusual day. The style reminded me a little of such classics as Little Women, or of the books of L.M. Montgomery... although there were a few touches in this one that never would've been included in a book that was actually written over 100 years ago. But the story is still charming and somewhat quaint.
This book's main problem is that it's slow. The plot is basic. There's not a lot of action. The characters gain insight and develop (which is quite a feat, considering the story takes place during only one day), but there's not much that really happens to them. (While the girls themselves viewed the day as quite exciting and full, it might not seem that way to modern readers.) While I could appreciate what the author was trying to do here, I wonder if the target audience (middle graders, most likely, as the two main characters are 9 and 13) would want to continue reading, or if they would get bored.
The book is fairly well-written, though I wouldn't expect otherwise from Pearson. Aside from a slight mix-up with the direction of the comet (where it is in the sky doesn't match with where it should be, based on the map in the front), there wasn't a lot to complain about from a technical standpoint.
Overall, this is a lovely historical fiction novel. It would be a good starting place for those who want to learn more about Emily Carr.
Quotable moment:
http://theladybugreads.blogspot.ca/20...
I really like reading books where I recognize the setting. In this case, the setting may be familiar... but the time period isn't. Victoria in 1881 is very different from Victoria today. I liked seeing how undeveloped the place was, as just a little "city" that was slowly growing and developing. Some of my ancestors actually ended up there a few years after the events in the book, so it was interesting to see what kind of a place they would've encountered.
The book is mainly a character sketch and follows two young girls throughout one unusual day. The style reminded me a little of such classics as Little Women, or of the books of L.M. Montgomery... although there were a few touches in this one that never would've been included in a book that was actually written over 100 years ago. But the story is still charming and somewhat quaint.
This book's main problem is that it's slow. The plot is basic. There's not a lot of action. The characters gain insight and develop (which is quite a feat, considering the story takes place during only one day), but there's not much that really happens to them. (While the girls themselves viewed the day as quite exciting and full, it might not seem that way to modern readers.) While I could appreciate what the author was trying to do here, I wonder if the target audience (middle graders, most likely, as the two main characters are 9 and 13) would want to continue reading, or if they would get bored.
The book is fairly well-written, though I wouldn't expect otherwise from Pearson. Aside from a slight mix-up with the direction of the comet (where it is in the sky doesn't match with where it should be, based on the map in the front), there wasn't a lot to complain about from a technical standpoint.
Overall, this is a lovely historical fiction novel. It would be a good starting place for those who want to learn more about Emily Carr.
Quotable moment:
Finally Mrs. Crane called from the hall. Emily was standing there, scowling. Kitty couldn't believe this was the same girl. Her round, rosy cheeks were soap shiny and her curls were gathered into a tight bundle at the back of her neck. She was encased in a spotless blue frock, a stiff white pinafore, low buttoned boots, and white stockings. She clutched a straw hat.
This was how little girls were supposed to look, of course; but Kitty wondered where inside this clean, tidy parcel was hidden the wild, barefoot Emily she had met earlier.
http://theladybugreads.blogspot.ca/20...
February 8, 2017
What can I say? Kit Pearson is one of my favourite authors and she is a master craftsman of gentle but important books for young girls. Her newest is, of course, quite excellent. I particularly love it because it is so close to home - literally! It is one day in the life of Emily Carr as she meets Kathleen, daughter of the family who owned Point Ellis House. Though these young girls were real, we don't know if they ever met, but Kit does a wonderful job of blending historical facts with wonderfully-realized characters to create a very enjoyable story. My favourite was the setting - my hometown from over a hundred years ago. Pearson doesn't shy away from showing the class and racial structures and prejudices of the day. There are several Chinese house servants and some Indigenous "Indians" gathering food on the mud flats of what is now the inner harbour. Overall it was just a lovely story and I so look forward to recommending it to local Victorians and visitors!
-Kirsten
-Kirsten
February 2, 2017
I adored the young Emily Carr in this novel—her wildness and surprising outbursts! But, like Kitty in the story, in real life I’d probably find Emily’s behaviour irritating! Yet I think Emily would grow in appeal for me, like she did for Kitty. Having read Emily Carr’s Hundreds and Thousands: The Journals of an Artist, I see this imagined child character ringing true in Emily’s passion for creation, magnetic draw to painting, and expansive view of God. Kit Pearson not only brought these two very different real girls to life in this fictional account of one imagined day, but also the setting of 1881 Victoria, B.C.
Kudos to the editorial team! As an editor myself, all too often my pleasure reading is rudely interrupted by typos, inconsistencies, or downright errors—but not in this dream of a novel.
And now I’ll share a few of my favourite quotations from the book:
The raven flew farther into the forest and Emily followed him. Shafts of sunlight pierced the gloom, flickering on the tree trunks and picking out vibrant green ferns and the new buds on the firs. There was something vital in here, something Emily wanted to possess. It was as if the trees were part of an enticing secret. (p. 11)
“… If you don’t let the layers dry, the colours get muddy. But see how the sky colour shines through the hill colour? It’s because watercolour paints are transparent.”
Emily examined her own painting. “I don’t think my colours are muddy.”
“No, they aren’t,” admitted Kitty. “But that’s just luck. If you’re serious about watercolour, you’ll have to learn to do it the proper way.”
“Maybe I will and maybe I won’t!” Emily jumped up and twirled on the lawn. (p. 63)
Kitty pulled on the oars evenly with barely a splash.
…
She watched Emily’s glee as she scooped up a leaf that floated by. The younger girl did everything with such passion and attention. Her rosy face shone with bliss. (p. 152)
Emily leaned forward. “Would you like to know what I think about God?”
“Of course I would.” Kitty smiled, prepared to hear a Sunday-school version.
“I absolutely believe in God, but I don’t think he’s the God that Father and Dede and Lizzie believe in. He’s not stern and he isn’t just in heaven. He’s right here!” Emily waved her hands in the air. (p. 156)
“Isn’t this [comet] a wondrous sight, girls?”
“It’s like a rip in the sky,” said Emily. “As if God had torn it open to show us heaven,” she added softly. (p. 184)
… it was a mystery. So were God and heaven and the comet. Why should Kitty, who was only a human girl, have to figure it all out? It was much larger than she was, which was strangely comforting. (p. 185)
“… Painting is a pleasant hobby, but it will never be a career.”
Emily tried not to sound superior. “Well, it will be for me.”
“I hope it will.” Kitty paused. “I’ve never seen anyone paint the way you do. I don’t understand your picture, but it has so much freshness and power. And you’re an excellent drawer. I think you will be famous!” (p. 192)
Kudos to the editorial team! As an editor myself, all too often my pleasure reading is rudely interrupted by typos, inconsistencies, or downright errors—but not in this dream of a novel.
And now I’ll share a few of my favourite quotations from the book:
The raven flew farther into the forest and Emily followed him. Shafts of sunlight pierced the gloom, flickering on the tree trunks and picking out vibrant green ferns and the new buds on the firs. There was something vital in here, something Emily wanted to possess. It was as if the trees were part of an enticing secret. (p. 11)
“… If you don’t let the layers dry, the colours get muddy. But see how the sky colour shines through the hill colour? It’s because watercolour paints are transparent.”
Emily examined her own painting. “I don’t think my colours are muddy.”
“No, they aren’t,” admitted Kitty. “But that’s just luck. If you’re serious about watercolour, you’ll have to learn to do it the proper way.”
“Maybe I will and maybe I won’t!” Emily jumped up and twirled on the lawn. (p. 63)
Kitty pulled on the oars evenly with barely a splash.
…
She watched Emily’s glee as she scooped up a leaf that floated by. The younger girl did everything with such passion and attention. Her rosy face shone with bliss. (p. 152)
Emily leaned forward. “Would you like to know what I think about God?”
“Of course I would.” Kitty smiled, prepared to hear a Sunday-school version.
“I absolutely believe in God, but I don’t think he’s the God that Father and Dede and Lizzie believe in. He’s not stern and he isn’t just in heaven. He’s right here!” Emily waved her hands in the air. (p. 156)
“Isn’t this [comet] a wondrous sight, girls?”
“It’s like a rip in the sky,” said Emily. “As if God had torn it open to show us heaven,” she added softly. (p. 184)
… it was a mystery. So were God and heaven and the comet. Why should Kitty, who was only a human girl, have to figure it all out? It was much larger than she was, which was strangely comforting. (p. 185)
“… Painting is a pleasant hobby, but it will never be a career.”
Emily tried not to sound superior. “Well, it will be for me.”
“I hope it will.” Kitty paused. “I’ve never seen anyone paint the way you do. I don’t understand your picture, but it has so much freshness and power. And you’re an excellent drawer. I think you will be famous!” (p. 192)
April 25, 2017
Kit Pearson's writing style is wonderful for its subdued quality and deftly illustrates the magic that children feel when allowed to run free. Emily Carr is a young child who cannot control her emotions and gets into trouble on a regular basis for being inappropriate. In the course of one day, she meets the next door neighbour, Kitty, who is older and dealing with deep grief. The pace is slow and the drama is relatively quiet: the tension in the novel is more about what the girls struggle with on an interior level. The beautiful passages that describe how Emily sees the light reflecting off of the water and in nature are very evocative and are clearly inspired by Carr's later artwork. This novel will be loved for its famous heroines and will be enjoyed by young readers of all ages, especially those with an interest in art.
February 2, 2017
A sweet middle grade inspired by the childhood of Emily Carr. Emily is a likable heroine, and readers will easily relate to her. Also contains messages about grief, loss and growing up. I didn't love it, as nothing ever really happens and there isn't a major enough conflict to really make this an exciting read. Still, it's a good piece of Canadiana, and it's nice to see something written about Canada's premier female artist.
January 2, 2017
I think I'm harder on Kit Pearson than I am on other authors. She was probably my favourite author growing up. Her books felt so familiar to me. The characters were like friends. Reading one of her newer books as an adult will never be able to recreate those feelings or sense of connection. That's why I can only give this book three stars.
October 14, 2018
A fictional account of one day in the life of Emily Carr, Canada's most famous female painter.
This is a quiet story about grief, friendship and the struggle of shaping your life when you are a child and adults want to shape it for you.
The afterword is helpful in providing facts about Carr's life, and while there is a brief mention that the term "Indian" had to be used in the book because that's what white people would have said back then, the way that First Nations people are portrayed in the book could have been handled better, given that one of the few mentions of them is of them collecting garbage at low tide. Obviously, the book's focus was on Carr and as such most historical details were flattened and in the background, which makes sense narratively. I just question about how this was done for both the First Nations and Chinese characters in the book.
This is a quiet story about grief, friendship and the struggle of shaping your life when you are a child and adults want to shape it for you.
The afterword is helpful in providing facts about Carr's life, and while there is a brief mention that the term "Indian" had to be used in the book because that's what white people would have said back then, the way that First Nations people are portrayed in the book could have been handled better, given that one of the few mentions of them is of them collecting garbage at low tide. Obviously, the book's focus was on Carr and as such most historical details were flattened and in the background, which makes sense narratively. I just question about how this was done for both the First Nations and Chinese characters in the book.
February 27, 2020
A very beautiful piece of historical fiction. I was always fascinated by Emily Carr and reading about what her childhood may have been like was very interesting. I love how the story, even if it occurs over a single day, explores the depths of grief, loss, friendship, and mental health. The way the author described Kitty's state of mind was so relatable that it was almost frightening. Even though I did not experience the grief Kitty did, I do feel that enveloping darkness at times, the loneliness in a room full of people, the outward act of pretending that I've dealt with my demons and am fine, that detachment from reality... it's not easy.
March 21, 2023
This historical fiction was written in the spirit of Emily Carr, the modernist and post-impressionist painter from British Columbia. A Day of Signs and Wonders takes place over the course June 27th in 1881, the day when young girls Kitty and Emily meet and become fast friends. Both struggling with grief, they spend the day talking to one another and forging their own identities. Follow the girls around late 19th century Victoria, where they draw, paint, talk about family, and conquer their fears. This gentle book looks at the wonder of childhood, friendship, the importance of creativity, and will leave you inspired by the life and work of Emily Carr.
December 20, 2020
I loved this middle grade novel. Two young girls meet by chance and spend a summer day together in various activities. One of them happens to be the future artist Emily Carr, the other is Kitty, a somewhat older and more conventional girl from a well-off family. I liked how the focus was on both girls equally, not just on Emily. Kitty is struggling with the previous death of her sister, while Emily worries about her mother's health and forging ahead with a life that is truly her own. Quiet and poetic yet everything moves along well. Read it.
August 6, 2018
A lovely book that gives a fictional account of one imagined day in the lives of two very different girls - Emily Carr and Kathleen O’Reilly. They are each struggling with grief and fear but the day they spend together gives them both an opportunity to glimpse in themselves and each other who they are going to be in the future.
September 26, 2025
As the shortest of Kit Pearson's chapter books, A Day of Signs and Wonders is definitely a very interesting book. The whole story takes place in one day, following the view of Emily Carr as a child. During this day, Emily goes to stay with her neighbor, and there she discovers painting. It is a beautiful and artistic book with an honest writing style.
August 22, 2020
A Day of Signs and Wonders is a beautiful book that provides a realistic look into the childhood of Emily Carr. Read my full review on my blog here.
September 11, 2018
I have always loved Kit Pearson's writing and this was no different. Beautifully written, it captured my imagination from page one.
October 31, 2018
Weirdest fanfiction ever.
Kit Pearson has always been enamoured of Emily Carr and this imagining of her childhood is gorgeous.
Kit Pearson has always been enamoured of Emily Carr and this imagining of her childhood is gorgeous.
July 31, 2019
Kit is a beautiful writer. I read this story with my daughters and we enjoyed this story of Emily Carr. We can’t wait to read more of Kit Pearson!
June 27, 2025
It's a little slow for a young person, but it's been a while since I was that young. Maybe a young girl that enjoys art, history and activity may like it. I learned about Emily Carr (who is the 9yr. old in the story) and her art. The story takes place in 1881, and it is about young girls before they are "shaped" into what society expects them to be. Ms. Carr is a terrific (Canadian) artist. If you don't read the book, at least look up her art!
March 10, 2017
This book is a look at one day in the fictionalized lives of Emily Carr and Kathleen (whose last name I can't quite remember and I don't have the book with me), who are two prominent Canadian figures. I found it interesting because it was a look at grief and it definitely showed beginnings of Emily Carr's future career. It was also a look at grief.
It's set in Victoria in the 1800s, and while I can't quite speak to historical accuracy I felt it was good. I liked the contrast between Emily and Kitty and they had very distinct characters that stand out.
Definitely a good read for Canadian kids.
It's set in Victoria in the 1800s, and while I can't quite speak to historical accuracy I felt it was good. I liked the contrast between Emily and Kitty and they had very distinct characters that stand out.
Definitely a good read for Canadian kids.
April 2, 2021
This was a sweet fictional story starring Victoria's very own Emily Carr as a nine year old child, as well as her fictional thirteen year old neighbor, Kitty. It takes place over one day and goes back and forth between the two's perspectives. Both are going through troubling times, and both have a bit of a tendency to lash out, despite their desire to be liked by the other (as this day was the first time they met).
Kit Pearson's writing always brings me right back to when I was in elementary school, she really has a gift for reminding us of what little girls are really like and how they really feel; at least how I did. The yearning to be wild and to say, "heck with all of these rules!" but also the need to impress the grown-ups around us with how proper and mature we can be.
I will say, as far as the other books I've read by her, this one didn't amaze me as much and I didn't get as emotionally attached to the characters as I usually do. I was missing that lovely cry I get at the end of her other books. It is still a very nice and heart-warming read, I think I might have just set myself up expecting more based off of my other favorites by her. I think if you didn't go into this expecting to cry like I did, you would appreciate it much more.
Kit Pearson's writing always brings me right back to when I was in elementary school, she really has a gift for reminding us of what little girls are really like and how they really feel; at least how I did. The yearning to be wild and to say, "heck with all of these rules!" but also the need to impress the grown-ups around us with how proper and mature we can be.
I will say, as far as the other books I've read by her, this one didn't amaze me as much and I didn't get as emotionally attached to the characters as I usually do. I was missing that lovely cry I get at the end of her other books. It is still a very nice and heart-warming read, I think I might have just set myself up expecting more based off of my other favorites by her. I think if you didn't go into this expecting to cry like I did, you would appreciate it much more.
February 15, 2017
4.5 stars
December 10, 2016
This would be a great intermediate grade read. I grabbed this as I was sitting in the kids' section at the library with my daughter, since I loved Kit Pearson's books when I was little. A fun imagining of Emily Carr's childhood.
October 20, 2016
3.5 stars
November 15, 2016
I didn't love this book as much as I wanted to, I was excited about the concept but it felt a bit forced.
November 8, 2017
The book was kind of neutral at first but it turns into an interesting book after a while. I loved the book though. Definitely read this amazing book!
April 26, 2017
This is based on two real characters, Emily Carr and Kathleen O'Reilly. Pearson has imagined them meeting one summer day in 1881, in Victoria BC. The day is pivotal because it cements the two girls directions in life. Pearson has done an amazing job creating characters I couldn't help but admire and love. I am especially infatuated with her take on Emily Carr. For those of you who don't know of Emily Carr, she is a famous Canadian landscape painter.
April 17, 2017
I am a lifelong Kit Pearson fan because of how much I loved her books growing up. Despite now being well beyond her target age group, I still read her books. I liked this one; although not as much as the two that came just before it. I loved the descriptions of the scenery - Victoria comes alive and its beauty is aptly captured - and I like how this book took place in a single day.
May 1, 2017
I liked reading a story that was set over just one day. The pace was different from what I'm used to. I appreciate Kit Pearson's prose - the imagery is beautiful. Emily's character is also very well written. The only problem for me is that she was annoying and I found myself irritated reading the story.
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