What do you think?
Rate this book
Until Tomorrow, Mr. Marsworth
Set against the backdrop of the Vietnam War, one young girl is determined to save her brother from the draft--and gets help from an unlikely source--in this middle-grade tale, perfect for fans of
The Wednesday Wars
When eleven-year-old Reenie Kelly's mother passes away, she and her brothers are shipped off to live with their grandmother. Adjusting to life in her parents' Midwestern hometown isn't easy, but once Reenie takes up a paper route with her older brother Dare, she has something she can look forward to. As they introduce themselves to every home on their route, Reenie's stumped by just one--the house belonging to Mr. Marsworth, the town recluse. When he doesn't answer his doorbell, Reenie begins to leave him letters. Slowly, the two become pen pals, striking up the most unlikely of friendships.
Through their letters, Reenie tells of her older brother Billy, who might enlist to fight in the Vietnam War. Reenie is desperate to stop him, and when Mr. Marsworth hears this, he knows he can't stand idly by. As a staunch pacifist, Mr. Marsworth offers to help Reenie. Together, they concoct a plan to keep Billy home, though Reenie doesn't know Mr. Marsworth's dedication to her cause goes far beyond his antiwar beliefs.
In this heartwarming piece of historical fiction, critically acclaimed author Sheila O'Connor delivers a tale of devotion, sacrifice, and family.
When eleven-year-old Reenie Kelly's mother passes away, she and her brothers are shipped off to live with their grandmother. Adjusting to life in her parents' Midwestern hometown isn't easy, but once Reenie takes up a paper route with her older brother Dare, she has something she can look forward to. As they introduce themselves to every home on their route, Reenie's stumped by just one--the house belonging to Mr. Marsworth, the town recluse. When he doesn't answer his doorbell, Reenie begins to leave him letters. Slowly, the two become pen pals, striking up the most unlikely of friendships.
Through their letters, Reenie tells of her older brother Billy, who might enlist to fight in the Vietnam War. Reenie is desperate to stop him, and when Mr. Marsworth hears this, he knows he can't stand idly by. As a staunch pacifist, Mr. Marsworth offers to help Reenie. Together, they concoct a plan to keep Billy home, though Reenie doesn't know Mr. Marsworth's dedication to her cause goes far beyond his antiwar beliefs.
In this heartwarming piece of historical fiction, critically acclaimed author Sheila O'Connor delivers a tale of devotion, sacrifice, and family.
348 pages, Hardcover
First published April 3, 2018
40 people are currently reading
1827 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 209 reviews
March 25, 2022
This happened when I started reading the book 👇
(This book is a bit triggering for me. So leaving it 32 chapters in. I don't know when I will pick it up again.)
But then a day later on I just couldn't get the book out of my head so I picked it up again.
And it turned out to be quite amazing. I found it to be a little dragged in some parts and I feel the book could have been much shorter.
The story of a little girl being penpals with a reluctant old man which turns out be the best unique friendship one could ever ask for.
The story handles some serious issues regarding the Vietnam War, bullying in different forms, grief, families and their struggles following discrimination for having voiced their opinions on the war.
The whole book is written in the form of letters more from the side of the young girl.
I wish there were more replies and letters from Mr Marsworth. But I can understand considering his situation.
A good read.
(This book is a bit triggering for me. So leaving it 32 chapters in. I don't know when I will pick it up again.)
But then a day later on I just couldn't get the book out of my head so I picked it up again.
And it turned out to be quite amazing. I found it to be a little dragged in some parts and I feel the book could have been much shorter.
The story of a little girl being penpals with a reluctant old man which turns out be the best unique friendship one could ever ask for.
The story handles some serious issues regarding the Vietnam War, bullying in different forms, grief, families and their struggles following discrimination for having voiced their opinions on the war.
The whole book is written in the form of letters more from the side of the young girl.
I wish there were more replies and letters from Mr Marsworth. But I can understand considering his situation.
A good read.
March 7, 2024
A wonderful story of friendship set during the late 1960's in the midst of the Vietnam war. This spunky girl Reena could have been me! I loved the entire story, characters and all. More people need to read this!
April 3, 2018
In the summer of 1968, Reenie Kelly has just moved to Lake Liberty, Minnesota. She has been going through a difficult time ever since her mom died from cancer. The family has very little money, so her father has had to leave the children - Reenie and her older brothers, Dare and Billy - in the care of their grandmother while he goes to North Dakota for a job building roads. Billy, who was meant to go to college, must now pump gas to earn money, and worse, he worries constantly about being drafted to serve in Vietnam. To raise money to possibly help Billy pay for college, Reenie and Dare share a paper route. Reenie, who is highly enthusiastic about having a job, goes out of her way to introduce herself at every house where she will deliver papers. Only Mr. Marsworth, a reclusive pacifist who has been ostracized by his neighbors for many years, does not respond when she rings his bell. Unwilling to remain strangers, Reenie begins writing letters to Mr. Marsworth. Though clearly overwhelmed by Reenie's unfettered affection for him, Mr. Marsworth writes replies every so often, and through this correspondence the unlikely pair devise strategies for keeping Billy safely out of Vietnam and bring to light the long-lost secret of the connection between their families.
My first thought about this book, on the heels of reading P.S. I Miss You was "Not another novel told in letters!" I appreciate that Dear Mr. Henshaw was the favorite novel of a lot of people when they were kids, but that does not mean newer books should imitate its epistolary format. When Reenie sent her first letter, the explanation for her wanting to reach out to Mr. Marsworth did feel a little gimmicky, and I was worried that the book was going to be tedious to read all the way through. But then I read Mr. Marsworth's first reply to Reenie, and his character came right off the page, fully alive, after just a few sentences. I knew him already, and could clearly hear his voice, after just one letter. After that, I realized that gimmick or not, the format of the book was going to take a backseat to the hearts and souls of these characters and their connection.
It was so refreshing to read a middle grade novel that felt purely like a children's book, with a quintessential middle grade protagonist. I think a lot of today's children's authors are caught up in politics and activism and as a result, strong adult feelings on a variety of topics come through in their writing. This book, while very much about both politics and activism truly does not seem to have any agenda aside from telling a compelling story. This book not only develops a friendship between two endearing characters; it also gives readers a taste of how Americans reacted to the war in Vietnam. It explains the concept of conscientious objection in a way kids can understand and it also shows how the older generation of the time thought about Vietnam in light of the events of World War II when they themselves were young. The author, or at least the story, certainly seems to have a point of view on the issue of war, but it is not forcibly crammed down the reader's throat nor are characters automatically vilified for taking a different outlook. Some characters behave badly; others behave well.
My dad enlisted in the Air Force during the time period in which this book is set, and though he was not a conscientious objector who opposed war in all forms, he did protest to bombing villages where women and children would be killed, and refused to do so. I grew up hearing stories of how scared he was to stand up for what his conscience told him was right, and how much of a relief it was when he was given an honorable discharge instead of a court martial. I also remember there were still people in my hometown who considered him a coward even 25 years later when I was hearing these stories. This book was probably a bit more appealing to me because of this personal connection, but I also liked that it rang true with my father's experiences, suggesting to me that the author did her research and that she presents a reality-based view of the historical events that inform this novel.
I also loved that the Kelly family was Catholic, but that Catholicism is not the main focus of the novel. It was interesting to hear the characters comparing the Quaker religion to the Catholic faith, and pleasing to me, as a Catholic parent, to see mention of the characters attending Mass as though it were a perfectly normal and reasonable thing to do. After the horrible negativity toward the Church that I encountered in P.S. I Miss You, it was nice to have a more positive portrayal, even though there are only a handful of Catholic references.
There are a few minor issues in this book: the font is tiny, and there are no chapters to break up the letters into smaller groups. The book is also dauntingly long at first glance, though I was able to read it over the course of an afternoon and evening with several interruptions, thanks in part to Reenie's fun and appealing voice. I also have to point out that the publisher's comparison of this book to The Wednesday Wars is not the most apt. Both are set during the same time, and Vietnam provides the backdrop to both, but in every other way they are very different books. I enjoyed them both nearly equally, but I wouldn't necessarily suggest one as a read-alike for the other. Overall, though, Until Tomorrow, Mr. Marsworth is an emotionally satisfying and completely child-friendly story about the effects of war on one family, and the importance of hope in the face of fear and adversity.
This review also appears on my blog, Read-at-Home Mom.
My first thought about this book, on the heels of reading P.S. I Miss You was "Not another novel told in letters!" I appreciate that Dear Mr. Henshaw was the favorite novel of a lot of people when they were kids, but that does not mean newer books should imitate its epistolary format. When Reenie sent her first letter, the explanation for her wanting to reach out to Mr. Marsworth did feel a little gimmicky, and I was worried that the book was going to be tedious to read all the way through. But then I read Mr. Marsworth's first reply to Reenie, and his character came right off the page, fully alive, after just a few sentences. I knew him already, and could clearly hear his voice, after just one letter. After that, I realized that gimmick or not, the format of the book was going to take a backseat to the hearts and souls of these characters and their connection.
It was so refreshing to read a middle grade novel that felt purely like a children's book, with a quintessential middle grade protagonist. I think a lot of today's children's authors are caught up in politics and activism and as a result, strong adult feelings on a variety of topics come through in their writing. This book, while very much about both politics and activism truly does not seem to have any agenda aside from telling a compelling story. This book not only develops a friendship between two endearing characters; it also gives readers a taste of how Americans reacted to the war in Vietnam. It explains the concept of conscientious objection in a way kids can understand and it also shows how the older generation of the time thought about Vietnam in light of the events of World War II when they themselves were young. The author, or at least the story, certainly seems to have a point of view on the issue of war, but it is not forcibly crammed down the reader's throat nor are characters automatically vilified for taking a different outlook. Some characters behave badly; others behave well.
My dad enlisted in the Air Force during the time period in which this book is set, and though he was not a conscientious objector who opposed war in all forms, he did protest to bombing villages where women and children would be killed, and refused to do so. I grew up hearing stories of how scared he was to stand up for what his conscience told him was right, and how much of a relief it was when he was given an honorable discharge instead of a court martial. I also remember there were still people in my hometown who considered him a coward even 25 years later when I was hearing these stories. This book was probably a bit more appealing to me because of this personal connection, but I also liked that it rang true with my father's experiences, suggesting to me that the author did her research and that she presents a reality-based view of the historical events that inform this novel.
I also loved that the Kelly family was Catholic, but that Catholicism is not the main focus of the novel. It was interesting to hear the characters comparing the Quaker religion to the Catholic faith, and pleasing to me, as a Catholic parent, to see mention of the characters attending Mass as though it were a perfectly normal and reasonable thing to do. After the horrible negativity toward the Church that I encountered in P.S. I Miss You, it was nice to have a more positive portrayal, even though there are only a handful of Catholic references.
There are a few minor issues in this book: the font is tiny, and there are no chapters to break up the letters into smaller groups. The book is also dauntingly long at first glance, though I was able to read it over the course of an afternoon and evening with several interruptions, thanks in part to Reenie's fun and appealing voice. I also have to point out that the publisher's comparison of this book to The Wednesday Wars is not the most apt. Both are set during the same time, and Vietnam provides the backdrop to both, but in every other way they are very different books. I enjoyed them both nearly equally, but I wouldn't necessarily suggest one as a read-alike for the other. Overall, though, Until Tomorrow, Mr. Marsworth is an emotionally satisfying and completely child-friendly story about the effects of war on one family, and the importance of hope in the face of fear and adversity.
This review also appears on my blog, Read-at-Home Mom.
May 8, 2020
As soon as I started reading, I thought, I am going to LOVE this book. It takes place during the Viet Nam years, when I was Reenie's age. I loved the voice of Reenie Kelly, shining through in her letters to her housebound neighbor, Mr. Marsworth. The pen-pal relationship felt very authentic (although I don’t know how many people include full conversations in their letters. Actually, I don’t know many people who write letters). Mr. Marsworth was a tough nut to crack, but Reenie’s persistence and indomitable spirit wore him down. The Kelly family loyalty was solid, even though it experienced a few cracks during the story. The truth about Mr. Marsworth was a satisfying surprise. There were goosebumps and tears at the end.
I think this book did a good job of showing kids that there is more than one side to a situation, that kids can take meaningful action in serious, grown-up matters, but also that there are consequences to standing up for what you believe.
There were some parts of the book that were not as strong as the parts I loved:
- I thought that the California girl, “Snow Cone,” was sort of thrown in.
- The father being away and mother dying from cancer fel like a plot device to get the Kelly kids to where they needed to be in the story.
- The subplot with Reenie and her brother Dare fighting with the neighborhood bullies dragged on a bit too long and dangerously. Despite Reenie’s focus on peace in regard to the war, she didn't see, even with Mr. Marworth's prompting, that she was not working hard enough to find a peaceful solution with the bullies. (Can there a peaceful solution with bullies? Or does it have to wait until something serious happens?)
This book got me thinking, “Why wasn't I more 'woke’ like Reenie when I was her age?” And that’s what a great book does; it gets you thinking.
Well, it’s never too late. ;-)
I think this book did a good job of showing kids that there is more than one side to a situation, that kids can take meaningful action in serious, grown-up matters, but also that there are consequences to standing up for what you believe.
There were some parts of the book that were not as strong as the parts I loved:
- I thought that the California girl, “Snow Cone,” was sort of thrown in.
- The father being away and mother dying from cancer fel like a plot device to get the Kelly kids to where they needed to be in the story.
- The subplot with Reenie and her brother Dare fighting with the neighborhood bullies dragged on a bit too long and dangerously. Despite Reenie’s focus on peace in regard to the war, she didn't see, even with Mr. Marworth's prompting, that she was not working hard enough to find a peaceful solution with the bullies. (Can there a peaceful solution with bullies? Or does it have to wait until something serious happens?)
This book got me thinking, “Why wasn't I more 'woke’ like Reenie when I was her age?” And that’s what a great book does; it gets you thinking.
Well, it’s never too late. ;-)
July 2, 2023
Oh my god, this was absolutely so good!! No wonder why this book for middle graders (or anyone who reads this book) is underrated!! UNTIL TOMORROW, MR. MARSWORTH is a novel of letters between one bright eleven-year-old girl and a stay-in loner old man that write to each other about making peace for Vietnam, and some secrets that unfold later in the book! It has everything: history, mystery, and a friendship between the two that absolutely lifted my heart! Be warned, there is some difficult tigger warnings in this book: bullying, deaths, and violent scenes! So be prepared! But it’s a book that you must read! Loved it!
September 27, 2019
This book was simply wonderful. I feel like I want to be a part of the Kelly family, to be a Kelly. Reenie, our main character, was exasperating but you will just love her.
This is a Vietnam era novel. Here you will find a sweet and unexpected intergenerational friendship. When the feisty and persistent 11-year-old Reenie Kelly takes on a summer paper route that includes reclusive, elderly Mr. Marsworth, she begins to write him chatty, confessional letters.That means long letters which expect a response and a prompt one please. It seems Mr. Marsworth is a recluse and this reader inferred it was due to his stormy past leaving him the outcast of Lake Liberty. . The young girl has many worries which unfold believably: one thing is, she’s new to the Minnesota town of Lake Liberty, two, she desperately wishes for a friend, three, she is frustrated living with her strict Grams after her mother’s death, and five, she misses her absent father, who is working to pay off their medical debts. His wife died after a long struggle against cancer. But her greatest and foremost concern now is keeping her 18 year old brother Billy out of the war by getting him into college, a seemingly impossible goal given their dire financial situation. The narrative also includes Reenie’s letter exchanges with her Vietnam soldier pen pal, Skip. This interaction makes the war more personal to a young impressionable girl as Skip describes the front lines and the reality of killing and being killed.
Persistent Reenie’s writes a heartfelt plea to President Johnson to end the draft. I liked her optimism hoping her letter might save innocent young boys from dying in service.
I was about the same age as Reen in 1968 and while I had no personal family effect of the draft, I knew of the horrors of what was going on and the political unrest of it all. And still today among my generation it can be a hot source of contention.
I highly recommend the book for content and readership. The format is made up entirely of letters mostly between Mr. Marsworth and Reenie Kelly. The letters are distinctive due to the font used to indicate the writer. In a day of the lost art of letter writing, this is just an entirely enjoyable way to read. After all who doesn’t enjoy receiving a letter. I as Reenie, was frustrated how Mr. Marsworth was slow to respond and when he did his letters were rather short and to the point. This of course added to the suspense of the story.
Again I highly recommend this book for middle grade, 10 and up.
This is a Vietnam era novel. Here you will find a sweet and unexpected intergenerational friendship. When the feisty and persistent 11-year-old Reenie Kelly takes on a summer paper route that includes reclusive, elderly Mr. Marsworth, she begins to write him chatty, confessional letters.That means long letters which expect a response and a prompt one please. It seems Mr. Marsworth is a recluse and this reader inferred it was due to his stormy past leaving him the outcast of Lake Liberty. . The young girl has many worries which unfold believably: one thing is, she’s new to the Minnesota town of Lake Liberty, two, she desperately wishes for a friend, three, she is frustrated living with her strict Grams after her mother’s death, and five, she misses her absent father, who is working to pay off their medical debts. His wife died after a long struggle against cancer. But her greatest and foremost concern now is keeping her 18 year old brother Billy out of the war by getting him into college, a seemingly impossible goal given their dire financial situation. The narrative also includes Reenie’s letter exchanges with her Vietnam soldier pen pal, Skip. This interaction makes the war more personal to a young impressionable girl as Skip describes the front lines and the reality of killing and being killed.
Persistent Reenie’s writes a heartfelt plea to President Johnson to end the draft. I liked her optimism hoping her letter might save innocent young boys from dying in service.
I was about the same age as Reen in 1968 and while I had no personal family effect of the draft, I knew of the horrors of what was going on and the political unrest of it all. And still today among my generation it can be a hot source of contention.
I highly recommend the book for content and readership. The format is made up entirely of letters mostly between Mr. Marsworth and Reenie Kelly. The letters are distinctive due to the font used to indicate the writer. In a day of the lost art of letter writing, this is just an entirely enjoyable way to read. After all who doesn’t enjoy receiving a letter. I as Reenie, was frustrated how Mr. Marsworth was slow to respond and when he did his letters were rather short and to the point. This of course added to the suspense of the story.
Again I highly recommend this book for middle grade, 10 and up.
December 10, 2017
Truly phenomenal! This is one of the best middle grade fiction novels I have ever read.
I fell in love with Maureen "Reenie" Kelly at the outset. This is an epistolary novel that takes place during the summer of 1968. Eleven, soon to be twelve-year-old Reenie has moved with her two older brothers to live with their grandmother in Minnesota following the death of their mother. While Reenie's father labors in North Dakota, Reenie and her brother, Dare, share a paper route. What begins as a letter to introduce herself to Mr. Marsworth, a customer along her route, becomes a series of letters, sometimes several per day, left in his box. The friendship that develops between the town hermit and one very determined young girl alters both of their lives in surprising ways.
This coming-of-age gem masterfully deals with the effects of the Vietnam War's mandatory draft and brings into question what courage really entails. Charming, heartfelt, funny, and absorbing, this book well earns its five star rating.
I fell in love with Maureen "Reenie" Kelly at the outset. This is an epistolary novel that takes place during the summer of 1968. Eleven, soon to be twelve-year-old Reenie has moved with her two older brothers to live with their grandmother in Minnesota following the death of their mother. While Reenie's father labors in North Dakota, Reenie and her brother, Dare, share a paper route. What begins as a letter to introduce herself to Mr. Marsworth, a customer along her route, becomes a series of letters, sometimes several per day, left in his box. The friendship that develops between the town hermit and one very determined young girl alters both of their lives in surprising ways.
This coming-of-age gem masterfully deals with the effects of the Vietnam War's mandatory draft and brings into question what courage really entails. Charming, heartfelt, funny, and absorbing, this book well earns its five star rating.
August 14, 2025
3-1/2 Stars rounded up to 4 for an ending that felt truly satisfying.
September 9, 2024
Well. 😭
How unexpected. Beautiful, poetic, heart warming, and challenging.
You say this is a middle grade book? And my first one. Let’s just say I was very wrong about my opinion on middle grade books.
Truly such an impactful emotional message.
Read it!
Full Review here:
https://youtu.be/Sx0WMMwl6y0?si=hY_jw...
How unexpected. Beautiful, poetic, heart warming, and challenging.
You say this is a middle grade book? And my first one. Let’s just say I was very wrong about my opinion on middle grade books.
Truly such an impactful emotional message.
Read it!
Full Review here:
https://youtu.be/Sx0WMMwl6y0?si=hY_jw...
May 13, 2020
This was a wonderful book made up of letters from Mr. Marsworth and 11year old Reenie Kelly. Reenie is a very outgoing little girl who has a paper route. She meets everyone on her route except Mr. Marsworth so she decides to introduce herself through a letter. There are a few other letters in the book also from different people. The Vietnam War is going on during 1968 and many of the letters are talking about the soldiers and men who do not wish to fight. I enjoyed this book very much. Reenie will go far in life because she does not take no for an answer!
March 19, 2021
Brb, currently sobbing. 😭❤️
I LOVE THIS BOOK! Everything about it was so interesting to me. The writing was impeccable. I love how the entire book was written in letters. There’s just something about it that makes it more real and personal. I immediately fell in love with Reenie Kelly and Mr. Marsworth. I was so invested in the characters and the story. I also enjoyed learning a bit more about the Vietnam War and how people felt about it both during it and today. This is a favorite book of the year and possibly of all time. I loved it so much!
I LOVE THIS BOOK! Everything about it was so interesting to me. The writing was impeccable. I love how the entire book was written in letters. There’s just something about it that makes it more real and personal. I immediately fell in love with Reenie Kelly and Mr. Marsworth. I was so invested in the characters and the story. I also enjoyed learning a bit more about the Vietnam War and how people felt about it both during it and today. This is a favorite book of the year and possibly of all time. I loved it so much!
April 1, 2022
4.8 stars.
This book gave me chills.
It is cute, heart-warming, but also so sad. The book has the power to make me shed tears.
Reenie Kelly acted like an eleven years old girl would be. She is smart, sweet, and sometimes she made decision like a child would do and it is not pretentious. I love it.
I also adore the fact that this book is delivered through letters and notes, it made a quick read!
P.S. I kinda hate Gram, sorry Gram Kelly.
P.P.S. As a hardcore introvert, a shut-in, I am too needing a true-blue friend.
This book gave me chills.
It is cute, heart-warming, but also so sad. The book has the power to make me shed tears.
Reenie Kelly acted like an eleven years old girl would be. She is smart, sweet, and sometimes she made decision like a child would do and it is not pretentious. I love it.
I also adore the fact that this book is delivered through letters and notes, it made a quick read!
P.S. I kinda hate Gram, sorry Gram Kelly.
P.P.S. As a hardcore introvert, a shut-in, I am too needing a true-blue friend.
April 25, 2020
Truly, I ask you, is there anything more charming than an eleven year old girl that’s all heart with no filter? I think not. Five gazillion stars for Reenie, my new favorite fictional kid.
July 23, 2020
Covers can be deceiving and this one truly was. I thought the cover of this book looked dull yet the inside of the book was just the opposite. Written in letter correspondence, I found myself on an incredible journey with Reen, as she tries to save her family. What started out as a business correspondence between Reen and Mr. Marsworth turned into something more impressive than they both expected.
Reen and her older two brothers have been living with their grandma, since their mother’s death. Since Reen has no other friends, she hangs out with her youngest brother Dare.
Mr. Marsworth was a customer on Reen’s paper route and she needed important information to do her job. Known as a loner/recluse, Reen (11), takes to paper and pencil to get the answers she needs. In his responsive letter, he’s right to the point but that’s not the end of this. Reen keeps the letters flying a few times back and forth. Reen is a talker but in this case, a writer, and so she does, to Mr. Marsworth. Soon, it’s just Reen writing and waiting, waiting for a reply from her new friend. I really got impatient and angry too, why wasn’t he responding to her and when she pleaded to him to respond, what was he doing?
Reen begins to pour out her heart to Mr. Marsworth in her letters. It’s not just the newspaper information she needs now but she needs a friend, someone she can talk to. I could feel the love, the anxiety and the desperation in her words as she wrote. She wrote him about her day, her issues and she’d ask him some questions. She found that there are some questions that Mr. Marsworth just couldn’t answer. Those questions were too difficult and/or he just wasn’t ready to answer them for her. How Reen handled this really said a lot about Reen, I thought. What she had with Mr. Marsworth meant more to her than the answers. Now, that is good stuff!
The story occurs in 1968 when the Vietnam War was on everyone’s mind including Reen’s. Her old brother, Billy’s future is on the line: college, sign up for the military, or be drafted? For Reen, there is only one answer and she’s determined to make that happen.
Reen also has been corresponding with a soldier in the war. She received his name from her teacher as part of a project. Reen now knows first-hand what war is all about. I loved how she takes this project seriously and how much time she devotes to it.
That ending was fabulous! I had suspected something an ending like that but nothing as involved as that. I had to get out the tissues as the tears were flowing and I couldn’t stop them. What an awesome book!! Good heavens!! Can someone erase my brain so I can read it over again?? I loved it!
Reen and her older two brothers have been living with their grandma, since their mother’s death. Since Reen has no other friends, she hangs out with her youngest brother Dare.
Mr. Marsworth was a customer on Reen’s paper route and she needed important information to do her job. Known as a loner/recluse, Reen (11), takes to paper and pencil to get the answers she needs. In his responsive letter, he’s right to the point but that’s not the end of this. Reen keeps the letters flying a few times back and forth. Reen is a talker but in this case, a writer, and so she does, to Mr. Marsworth. Soon, it’s just Reen writing and waiting, waiting for a reply from her new friend. I really got impatient and angry too, why wasn’t he responding to her and when she pleaded to him to respond, what was he doing?
Reen begins to pour out her heart to Mr. Marsworth in her letters. It’s not just the newspaper information she needs now but she needs a friend, someone she can talk to. I could feel the love, the anxiety and the desperation in her words as she wrote. She wrote him about her day, her issues and she’d ask him some questions. She found that there are some questions that Mr. Marsworth just couldn’t answer. Those questions were too difficult and/or he just wasn’t ready to answer them for her. How Reen handled this really said a lot about Reen, I thought. What she had with Mr. Marsworth meant more to her than the answers. Now, that is good stuff!
The story occurs in 1968 when the Vietnam War was on everyone’s mind including Reen’s. Her old brother, Billy’s future is on the line: college, sign up for the military, or be drafted? For Reen, there is only one answer and she’s determined to make that happen.
Reen also has been corresponding with a soldier in the war. She received his name from her teacher as part of a project. Reen now knows first-hand what war is all about. I loved how she takes this project seriously and how much time she devotes to it.
That ending was fabulous! I had suspected something an ending like that but nothing as involved as that. I had to get out the tissues as the tears were flowing and I couldn’t stop them. What an awesome book!! Good heavens!! Can someone erase my brain so I can read it over again?? I loved it!
February 25, 2025
Really enjoyed this epistolary novel. I found Reenie to fit the stereotype of a rambunctious chatty redhead. Very like Anne of Green Gables with wanting to learn big words, wanting to make connections, and relating better with her elders than her peers when it comes to making friends.
There were some sections that felt a bit drawn out but at the same time I also knew that I wouldn't have felt the continuity of characters if it was written any differently.
I really enjoyed a different POV with the Vietnam War. From the wisdom of the quiet old man who is a reluctant pen pal to the feisty paper girl who wants to fight for justice while also standing for peace.
There is a lot about this book that I would love to chat more about, however, there is a lot that unfolds in this story that I wouldn't necessarily want to give anything away. Really enjoyed. Would recommend.
There were some sections that felt a bit drawn out but at the same time I also knew that I wouldn't have felt the continuity of characters if it was written any differently.
I really enjoyed a different POV with the Vietnam War. From the wisdom of the quiet old man who is a reluctant pen pal to the feisty paper girl who wants to fight for justice while also standing for peace.
There is a lot about this book that I would love to chat more about, however, there is a lot that unfolds in this story that I wouldn't necessarily want to give anything away. Really enjoyed. Would recommend.
February 12, 2019
This book was filled with surprising treasures, and I liked it a lot more than I expected I would, just based on the title and cover. Not there is anything wrong with either of them. I guess both led me to expect something else. It would be hard to read this account of a young girl's growing awareness of politics and life's unfairness without thinking of one's own political awakening and consciousness-raising. Eleven-year-old Maureen (Reenie) has had to move in with her grandmother in Liberty Lake, Minnesota, far from her Denton home. She and her older brothers Billy and Dare aren't thrilled with the situation either, but the family had no choice after the death of their mother from cancer. Medical bills caused them to lose their house, and their father is working in North Dakota, trying to earn as much money as he can. Reenie and Dare take on paper routes in order to save money for Billy to attend college. This becomes ever more critical since it is the summer of 1968, and the United States remains mired in war in Vietnam with young men being drafted to fight. As part of a class project in her old school, Reenie has been writing to Skip Nichols, who is serving in Vietnam. Not only his observations about the war, but also what Reenie is seeing and hearing make her increasingly concerned about Billy being drafted if he is not in school. She begins a written conversation with Mr. Marsworth about her paper route, and he responds, sometimes briefly but also sometimes at great length. Eventually, a friendship between the two forms, and he shares his thoughts on war and peace with the girl as well as sharing her concerns about Billy. But Reenie has many issues to deal with as two local boys single her out for verbal and physical abuse. She and Dare retaliate, and the small war is on, escalating by the day, and fueled by a letter to the editor written by Billy in which he expresses concerns about what's happening in Vietnam and back home. I was shocked by how many of the town's citizens reacted, and yet, having grown up during those times, a lot of this feels very real and highlights the deep rift the nation was experiencing. I don't always like epistolary novels that are exchanges between two individuals, but this one worked very real because the two voices were so distinct. It was easy to feel Reenie's pain and her wish for a friend and human contact as well as to note the influence this elderly recluse who lived with his cat Clyde was having on her. The ending is satisfying, and even contains some surprises. Although our nation is not using the draft right now, this book does a fine job of explaining why so many men were fearful of being drafted. But it also explores the high cost of standing one's ground and expressing an opinion that might not be popular. How hard is it to practice peace at home or around those who intend to do violence to you? That's one of the questions that kept coming to my mind as I thought about how easy it is to support a peaceful approach to life in theory but not so much in practice. In this book, the author has created a cast of memorable characters, each of whom came to matter to me as I read the book. I hated to see it come to an end, something I rarely feel about a book when I'm reading. And while it is no Wednesday Wars, it would be a nice book to pair with that one, since they both explore some similar territory as the protagonists in both, a male in that one and a female in this one, have their political awareness raised.
March 11, 2019
6. UNTIL TOMORROW, MR. MARSWORTH by Sheila O’Connor // #middlegrademarch.
.
“A letter helps me say what’s in my heart.”
.
Oh friends, this book! If you noticed my stories last week, you’ll have seen that I read UNTIL TOMORROW, MR. MARSWORTH, and it left me with a huge book-hangover. The last few pages made me sob. My poor husband listened to me ramble about it through my tears. Let’s see if I can do this book any justice because I would love to have you read it, too.
Reenie Kelly, 11-years-old, moves to Lake Liberty, MN to live with her grandma and two older brothers. It’s 1968, and Reenie has acquired a paper route. Wanting to set a good impression, she tries to introduce herself to her new customers. There is one customer, Mr. Marsworth, who won’t answer her relentless knocks. So, Reenie writes him a letter.
UNTIL TOMORROW, MR. MARSWORTH is an epistolary novel, and O’Connor nails the character’s voices. They sounded real, different from each other, and incredibly intimate.
I hate giving away too much about stories and am a reader that doesn’t read the book synopsis. Here is my attempt at not giving away all the special details. This book is about SO MUCH. Reenie has experienced a lot of recent loss and spends her summer fighting to keep her bother safe. This book deals with the Vietnam War and America’s political climate surrounding veterans, objectors, and deserters. I think O’Connor handles this well by presenting both sides of the issue. I think this is tricky to do, especially for middle grade readers. It can be too easy to dumb down the issues and make them black and white. There is a bit of a mystery, too, which I loved completely.
.
“A letter helps me say what’s in my heart.”
.
Oh friends, this book! If you noticed my stories last week, you’ll have seen that I read UNTIL TOMORROW, MR. MARSWORTH, and it left me with a huge book-hangover. The last few pages made me sob. My poor husband listened to me ramble about it through my tears. Let’s see if I can do this book any justice because I would love to have you read it, too.
Reenie Kelly, 11-years-old, moves to Lake Liberty, MN to live with her grandma and two older brothers. It’s 1968, and Reenie has acquired a paper route. Wanting to set a good impression, she tries to introduce herself to her new customers. There is one customer, Mr. Marsworth, who won’t answer her relentless knocks. So, Reenie writes him a letter.
UNTIL TOMORROW, MR. MARSWORTH is an epistolary novel, and O’Connor nails the character’s voices. They sounded real, different from each other, and incredibly intimate.
I hate giving away too much about stories and am a reader that doesn’t read the book synopsis. Here is my attempt at not giving away all the special details. This book is about SO MUCH. Reenie has experienced a lot of recent loss and spends her summer fighting to keep her bother safe. This book deals with the Vietnam War and America’s political climate surrounding veterans, objectors, and deserters. I think O’Connor handles this well by presenting both sides of the issue. I think this is tricky to do, especially for middle grade readers. It can be too easy to dumb down the issues and make them black and white. There is a bit of a mystery, too, which I loved completely.
February 23, 2018
Abby says: Easily my favourite children's book of 2018 to date, "Until Tomorrow, Mr. Marsworth" is a treasure trove of truths, stories, friends, and history. 11 year papergirl Reenie Kelly is our beloved heroine who becomes penpals with urban hermit Mr. Marsworth. Attempting to save her eldest brother from the Vietnam draft, Reenie fills her letters with questions and stories of peace, Vietnam, and struggles.
A heroine who fights her own fights and eventually lays down her arms in the name of peace, Reenie Kelly stole my heart and I sincerely hope she steals yours as well.
July 6, 2018
ONE MILLION STARS
June 8, 2021
4+ Stars!
Until Tomorrow, Mr. Marsworth is book told completely in letters between a young girl named Reenie, and an older gentleman on her paper route, Mr. Marsworth. After Reen’s mom passed away from cancer, her family moved from Missouri to Minnasota to live with their Grandma in hopes of saving their money to help pay for the medical bills that piled up, a new house, and hopefully send Billy to college instead of off to war. It’s 1968 during the Vietnam War and once young boys turn 18 years old, they are forced to enter the draft and fight for their country. Reen isn’t ready to lose her brother after just losing her mother, so she comes up with an idea on how to get him into college instead. Reen believes in peace, not war. After she moved to Minnesota, she took on a paper route, and started a pen-pal relationship with Mr. Marsworth who likes to keep to himself, but throughout the book, we learn there is more to Mr. Marsworth, and Reen finds a new friend during her first summer in Minnesota.
I loved this book. When I first started it, I immediately fell in love with Reen and her childlike voice and ideas. The contrast between her letters compared to Mr. Marsworth’s was hilarious and adorable. Her letters were over-the-top, full of energy and information dumps with so much “word vomit,” where his letters were smart, short, and to the point, but still caring with compassion. The differences in voices and personalities was incredibly well done!
This book started off strong for me, but towards the half-way point, I felt like Reen’s letters became VERY repetitive and long winded. There were times where she would say the same thing three times before Mr. Marsworth would reply with his answer, and even then, she would repeat herself again. This book is still incredibly sweet and pulled on my emotions, and I loved the ending of this book. I would highly recommend this book to anyone 10+.
I can’t wait for my own kids to read this. I’m curious to hear what they think of it. I’m wondering if they will find it a bit slow and repetitive, or if they’ll dive full force into the story because it’s a historical fiction about a time and event where there aren’t a lot of books written for middle grade, plus it’s told in a unique way.
Very cute! So glad I read this.
Until Tomorrow, Mr. Marsworth is book told completely in letters between a young girl named Reenie, and an older gentleman on her paper route, Mr. Marsworth. After Reen’s mom passed away from cancer, her family moved from Missouri to Minnasota to live with their Grandma in hopes of saving their money to help pay for the medical bills that piled up, a new house, and hopefully send Billy to college instead of off to war. It’s 1968 during the Vietnam War and once young boys turn 18 years old, they are forced to enter the draft and fight for their country. Reen isn’t ready to lose her brother after just losing her mother, so she comes up with an idea on how to get him into college instead. Reen believes in peace, not war. After she moved to Minnesota, she took on a paper route, and started a pen-pal relationship with Mr. Marsworth who likes to keep to himself, but throughout the book, we learn there is more to Mr. Marsworth, and Reen finds a new friend during her first summer in Minnesota.
I loved this book. When I first started it, I immediately fell in love with Reen and her childlike voice and ideas. The contrast between her letters compared to Mr. Marsworth’s was hilarious and adorable. Her letters were over-the-top, full of energy and information dumps with so much “word vomit,” where his letters were smart, short, and to the point, but still caring with compassion. The differences in voices and personalities was incredibly well done!
This book started off strong for me, but towards the half-way point, I felt like Reen’s letters became VERY repetitive and long winded. There were times where she would say the same thing three times before Mr. Marsworth would reply with his answer, and even then, she would repeat herself again. This book is still incredibly sweet and pulled on my emotions, and I loved the ending of this book. I would highly recommend this book to anyone 10+.
I can’t wait for my own kids to read this. I’m curious to hear what they think of it. I’m wondering if they will find it a bit slow and repetitive, or if they’ll dive full force into the story because it’s a historical fiction about a time and event where there aren’t a lot of books written for middle grade, plus it’s told in a unique way.
Very cute! So glad I read this.
June 15, 2019
Adult rating: 3
Kid rating: 2
In 1968 the Vietnam War is in full swing. It's been going on since the early 60s and the U.S. is no closer to victory. People who favor the war see it as a necessary move to stop the spread of communism. People against the war see it as one country (U.S.) interfering in another country's civil war. 11-year-old Reenie is caught in the middle of this controversy.
Reenie and her two brothers are living with their grandmother for the summer. Their mother died of cancer and their father travels for his job. Reenie's grandmother and father aren't necessarily pro-war, but they do believe in respect for country. Reenie's deceased mother was against the war. Now Billy is eligible for the draft, and the only way to avoid it is to enroll in college. Unfortunately, his family doesn't have the money and he doesn't think he can get a scholarship.
Reenie has a paper route to help her brother save money. She has met all of her customers except Mr. Marsworth. She writes him a letter and he writes back. The entire book is the exchange of letters between Reenie and Mr. Marsworth, an anti-Vietnam protester. The discussion between the two is about how Billy can avoid the draft. Rounding out the cast of characters are the two bully kids and their thug dad/cop who dish out their form of vandalistic justice on people who oppose the war.
I didn't care much for this book. It's long and basically goes on and on about the same thing. I do not think this is the Vietnam book kids are looking for. Reenie's letters are long and in a handwritten font which is hard to read. If this had been edited down A LOT, it would have been more enjoyable. I also didn't care for the twist ending that came out of nowhere and was totally unnecessary.
Kid rating: 2
In 1968 the Vietnam War is in full swing. It's been going on since the early 60s and the U.S. is no closer to victory. People who favor the war see it as a necessary move to stop the spread of communism. People against the war see it as one country (U.S.) interfering in another country's civil war. 11-year-old Reenie is caught in the middle of this controversy.
Reenie and her two brothers are living with their grandmother for the summer. Their mother died of cancer and their father travels for his job. Reenie's grandmother and father aren't necessarily pro-war, but they do believe in respect for country. Reenie's deceased mother was against the war. Now Billy is eligible for the draft, and the only way to avoid it is to enroll in college. Unfortunately, his family doesn't have the money and he doesn't think he can get a scholarship.
Reenie has a paper route to help her brother save money. She has met all of her customers except Mr. Marsworth. She writes him a letter and he writes back. The entire book is the exchange of letters between Reenie and Mr. Marsworth, an anti-Vietnam protester. The discussion between the two is about how Billy can avoid the draft. Rounding out the cast of characters are the two bully kids and their thug dad/cop who dish out their form of vandalistic justice on people who oppose the war.
I didn't care much for this book. It's long and basically goes on and on about the same thing. I do not think this is the Vietnam book kids are looking for. Reenie's letters are long and in a handwritten font which is hard to read. If this had been edited down A LOT, it would have been more enjoyable. I also didn't care for the twist ending that came out of nowhere and was totally unnecessary.
August 28, 2018
I saw this book in a display at the library, and was immediately drawn to it. The story is about a preteen girl who has to move with her family from Missouri to Minnesota in 1968 after the mother in the family dies of cancer and they lose everything because of medical bills. They move in with grandma, and dad is away working. All the kids have jobs including 11 year old Reenie, the first girl in town to have a paper route. They are saving money, or so they think, to send 18 Billy to college. Reenie introduces herself to everyone on her route except Mr. Marsworth, an elderly recluse who won't come to the door. And so the letters start... Reenie leaves letters for Mr. Marsworth, and he occasionally replies. They develop a friendship of sorts, and she tells him all about her life as she has no other confidantes. She tells him how they are all saving money to send Billy to college and how worried they are that Billy will get drafted. This is very much an anti-war novel with Reenieand Mr. Marsworth working together to help Billy. There is a major plot twist at the end that I absolutely did not see coming, but I really loved this book!
P.S. Two good anti-war movies made in the '60s are: "The King of Hearts" and " The Russians are Coming, the Russians are Coming"
P.S. Two good anti-war movies made in the '60s are: "The King of Hearts" and " The Russians are Coming, the Russians are Coming"
May 27, 2020
"A letter helps me say what's in my heart." --Until Tomorrow, Mr. Marsworth
Until Tomorrow, Mr. Marsworth is an epistolary middle grade novel set during the summer of 1968. Eleven year old Reenie is new to town and makes an unexpected pen pal with an elderly shut-in on her paper route, Mr. Marsworth. Reenie's letters are heartfelt and honest, and her strong personality is endearing and realistic. The Vietnam War, grief, bullying, and family are all major themes in this book, but the beauty and strength of this story is in the characters themselves. They jump off the pages, real and fully formed, and I loved them so very much.
Now I add my voice to the chorus of book pushers for this wonderful novel (@book_beat, @lifebetweenwords). This book is the real deal, not just for kids, but a book to make you think. As a lifelong letter-writer who often finds it far easier to communicate my thoughts and feelings in writing instead of face-to-face conversation, this book was particularly beautiful and touching.
Until Tomorrow, Mr. Marsworth is an epistolary middle grade novel set during the summer of 1968. Eleven year old Reenie is new to town and makes an unexpected pen pal with an elderly shut-in on her paper route, Mr. Marsworth. Reenie's letters are heartfelt and honest, and her strong personality is endearing and realistic. The Vietnam War, grief, bullying, and family are all major themes in this book, but the beauty and strength of this story is in the characters themselves. They jump off the pages, real and fully formed, and I loved them so very much.
Now I add my voice to the chorus of book pushers for this wonderful novel (@book_beat, @lifebetweenwords). This book is the real deal, not just for kids, but a book to make you think. As a lifelong letter-writer who often finds it far easier to communicate my thoughts and feelings in writing instead of face-to-face conversation, this book was particularly beautiful and touching.
July 15, 2024
I picked up this book at my first MFA residency because it was children's epistolary fiction by an author I knew personally. I assumed it would be an easy treat to read in between my assigned poetry anthologies.
I finished this book because I fell in love with the characters, their individual quests for peace, and the explorations of family and forever. Sheila provided me with a delightful rest from the many questions poetry asked of me, but she did not let me turn off my brain or my heart. I laughed, I teared up, I scowled, and I faced hard questions.
When Shelia signed my copy, she wrote, "So happy to be part of your writing journey. Peace." I'm happy Sheila is a part of my writing (and reading!) journey too. This book is darling and well worth a read (or two or three). It is full of peace and warmth, and anyone weary of the turmoil and conflict in our world today can find fast and faithful friends in Reenie Kelly and Howard W. Marsworth.
I finished this book because I fell in love with the characters, their individual quests for peace, and the explorations of family and forever. Sheila provided me with a delightful rest from the many questions poetry asked of me, but she did not let me turn off my brain or my heart. I laughed, I teared up, I scowled, and I faced hard questions.
When Shelia signed my copy, she wrote, "So happy to be part of your writing journey. Peace." I'm happy Sheila is a part of my writing (and reading!) journey too. This book is darling and well worth a read (or two or three). It is full of peace and warmth, and anyone weary of the turmoil and conflict in our world today can find fast and faithful friends in Reenie Kelly and Howard W. Marsworth.
December 23, 2020
Easy 5 stars and HOLY HECK HOW DOES THIS BOOK ONY HAVE JUST OVER 500 REVIEWS????
This book checks all the boxes for me:
1. A likable cast: Reenie is so determined and it's so freaking endearing. She's everything I wish I was at her age.
2. A great relationship between Mr. Marsworth and Reenie that grows through letters.
3. A slight mystery.
4. Some emotional discussions about the Vietnam War and the consequences of sending soldiers to war.
5. A coming of age story that actually exhibits positive growth and is easy to digest for all ages, while also hitting on topics like bullying, family dynamics, and going against the grain in a society that doesn't understand you.
This was just a total win for me. Make your kids read this, ya'll.
This book checks all the boxes for me:
1. A likable cast: Reenie is so determined and it's so freaking endearing. She's everything I wish I was at her age.
2. A great relationship between Mr. Marsworth and Reenie that grows through letters.
3. A slight mystery.
4. Some emotional discussions about the Vietnam War and the consequences of sending soldiers to war.
5. A coming of age story that actually exhibits positive growth and is easy to digest for all ages, while also hitting on topics like bullying, family dynamics, and going against the grain in a society that doesn't understand you.
This was just a total win for me. Make your kids read this, ya'll.
November 30, 2021
A terrific epistolary books with a precocious 11-year-old, Reenie Kelly, and an old man, Mr. Marsworth, as the main characters. The setting is the late 60’s during the Vietnam War. I call it a war, not a conflict, as our government insists on doing. I was born in the early 50’s so I am very familiar with this time period. This book deals with with the serious nature of patriotism, conscientious objectors, and freedom of speech. It is billed as a middle-grade book but the way the war is handled in this book with it’s difficult topics, I believe, makes it more suited for teens. I taught 11-year-olds for many years and do not think I ever saw one with the empathy and presence of this young girl.
August 1, 2020
I usually don’t like books in letter format, but this one won me over. The sweet correspondence between an elderly recluse and a broken hearted and impulsive little girl. Reenie has faced so much tragedy in her life and she longs for the bonds of friendship and family. O’Connor does a beautiful job of weaving their stories together while mending Reenie’s heart in the process. If you have any interest in the Vietnam war; especially the angst of the home front during the war, this could be a great book for you.
Read
January 18, 2019I absolutely loved this book. It was so cool to read the story in letter form and it had so many twists and turns. Something else I liked about the book is that it wasn't too much historical fiction but it still taught me a lot about the time period and what it was like to live in it from different perspectives. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves either realistic or historical fiction.
March 29, 2020
Oh, my heart. This book! It’s only March, but I can tell you this will be one of my favorite books of the year. It has so many elements that I love; a curmudgeonly old man, a spunky female protagonist, it’s written in letters, and it’s historical fiction. Set in 1968, the Vietnam War is the backdrop, but peace is the message. I highly recommend this book for kids and adults alike. (I would say age 10 and up.)
May 25, 2018
I picked this up at my favorite local bookstore after reading the description and feeling a connection with characters. My niece and I exchange emails and, in those words, I relish every ounce of honesty and joy we share with each other. As any reader knows, the words we write down are little parts of our heart. I thought this would be a nice gift to let her know how much those emails means to me.
Reenie Kelly has every bit of spunk and determination I wish upon my niece. Her fierce love for her family is what drove her in spite of the bullies and constant roadblocks. She wasn't afraid to break the rules in the pursuit of what she believed was right. I think we can all learn something from Reenie, and I hope we can all find a Mr. Marsworth in our lives to write our stories to.
Reenie Kelly has every bit of spunk and determination I wish upon my niece. Her fierce love for her family is what drove her in spite of the bullies and constant roadblocks. She wasn't afraid to break the rules in the pursuit of what she believed was right. I think we can all learn something from Reenie, and I hope we can all find a Mr. Marsworth in our lives to write our stories to.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 209 reviews