Give and Take

by Elly Swartz

Twelve-year-old Maggie knows her new baby sister who smells like powder isn’t her sister for keeps. Izzie is a foster baby awaiting adoption. So in a day or a week, she’ll go to her forever family and all that sweetness will be gone. Except for those things Maggie’s secretly saving in the cardboard boxes in her closet and under her bed. Baby socks, binkies, and a button from Bud the Bear. Rocks, sticks, and candy wrappers. Maggie holds on tight. To her things. Her pet turtle. Her memories of Nana. And her friends. But when Maggie has to say goodbye to Izzie, and her friend gets bumped from their all-girl trapshooting squad to make room for a boy, Maggie’s hoarding grows far beyond her control and she needs to find the courage to let go.

Genres: Middle Grade, Realistic Fiction, Mental Health, Fiction, Contemporary, Mental Illness, Juvenile

313 pages, Hardcover

First published October 15, 2019

About the author

Elly Swartz is the award-winning author of seven middle grade novels: Finding Perfect, Smart Cookie, Give and Take, Dear Student, Hidden Truths, Same Page and Almost True (2027).

Swartz’s books reflect her commitment to raising awareness about mental health and neurodiversity. Her most recent novel, Same Page, was recommended by The New York Times. Finding Perfect, her debut, was named one of the Best Children’s Books About Mental Health by the Child Mind Institute. Dear Student was recommended by Parents Magazine and won the PA State Award for Middle Grade, and Hidden Truths received starred reviews from Kirkus and School Library Journal, was a Kirkus Best Books of 2023, an Amazon Best Book for November, an Amazon Editors’ pick, and has been nominated for state awards in MA, MO, and NJ.

Swartz travels the country meeting with thousands of students each year to empower their own personal narrative.

Swartz lives in Massachusetts and is happily married with two grown sons, a grandson, and two pups. Connect with her at ellyswartz.com, on Twitter @ellyswartz, and on Instagram, Bluesky, or Threads @ellyswartzbooks.

Reviews

[Einakikhoshghalb · Rating 4 out of 5]

گاهی فکر می کنم کاش بیشتر از این جنس کتاب ها داشتیم، نه فقط برای نوجوان ها که حتی برای جوان ها، در این سن با چیزهایی درگیر می شویم که خیال می کنیم فقط مشکل ماست، بعد گیج و سردرگمیم و نمی فهمیم باید چه کار کنیم. ولی وجود کتاب هایی مثل این کتاب که در ایران با اسم «دورریختنی های عزیز من» در نشر پرتقال چاپ شده باعث می شود که احساس کنیم آدم های عجیب و غریبی نیستیم. بقیه آدم های معمولی هم مشکلات به ظاهر کوچکی دارند که همه ذهنشان را بهم می ریزد گرچه از نظر دیگران چیز چندان مهمی نیست.

مادربزرگ مگی در اثر عفونت ریه از دنیا رفته است. پیش از آن مبتلا به زوال عقل شده و خانواده اش را فراموش کرده است. مگی روزی را تعریف می کند که پیش مادربزرگش رفته و او دیگر مگی را نشناخته است. همین باعث شد که مگی تصور کند ممکن است روزی چیزهایی که دوست دارد را فراموش کند، به همین خاطر شروع به جمع کردن هر آن چیزی کرده که لحظه های خوب زندگی اش را یادآوری می کند. مهم نیست چه چیزی باشد، حتی پاکت شیری که کنار دوستانش خورده هم شامل این وسایل می شود و حالا اتاقش پر از این جور چیزهاست که از نظر دیگران آشغال محسوب می شود، مشکل وقتی جدی می شود که مگی می فهمد اگر کسی دست به وسایلش بزند بی اندازه عصبی و نگران می شود و ممکن است از عصبانیت فریاد بزند و چیزهایی را پرتاب کند. اینجاست که مادر و پدرش تصمیم می گیرند او را پیش یک مشاور ببرند.

مادربزرگ من هم در اثر عفونت ریه فوت کرد، البته تا لحظه ی آخر هیچ کس را فراموش نکرده بود. اما من همیشه به تجربه ی از دست دادن عزیزان فکر می کردم. برای از دست دادن پدر و مادر داستان های زیادی نوشته شده ولی کسی هیچ وقت فکر نکرده که از دست دادن یک مادربزرگ مهربان (آن هم برای نوجوان ها) چه اثراتی دارد. همه تصور می کنند که احتمالا خیلی آسان است اما همه مان به خوبی میدانیم که آسان نیست و تا لحظه ی آخر زندگی همه ی جزییاتش را یادمان می ماند. روزی که مادربزرگ یا پدربزرگمان در بیمارستان بستری بوده، آخرین باری که او را دیده ایم، روزهایی که هنوز بیماری او را از پا در نیاورده بود و همه ی چیزهایی از این دست. «دور ریختنی های عزیز من » از این جهت برایم عزیز بود که این دغدغه ی ذهنی ام را تا حدی برطرف کرد. احساس کردم نوجوان ها اگر چنین کتابی را بخوانند شاید در مواجهه با تجربیاتی مانند مرگ عزیزان آگاهانه تر رفتار کنند.

در انتهای کتاب نویسنده عنوان میکند این کتاب را برای آشنایی بیشتر با اختلال «احتکار در کودکان» نوشته است. من تابحال با کودک یا نوجوانی که درگیر چنین مشکلی باشد مواجه نشده ام. اما حالا حداقل می دانم که چنین مشکلی وجود دارد و چیز عجیب و غریبی نیست و راه هایی برای درمان دارد که در دسترس از آن چیزی است که تصور می کنیم.

[Victoria Coe · Rating 5 out of 5]

If the blue whale has the biggest heart in the entire world, Maggie Hunt has the second biggest. She loves her family, her friends, and her animals so big and so hard, she wants to treasure every memory of the everyday wonderful of every single day. And she's terrified that she won't be able to do that without her treasures.

Maggie's treasures range from gum wrappers to a special necklace and everything in between. But when the treasures begin to get out of control, Maggie finds she's unable to let go.

My heart broke for this girl who loves so big and so hard, and rooted for her to find a way to understand that life is full of give and take. Details fade. Or even erase entirely. But love never leaves. It carves into your heart. It's a forever thing. (Go, Gramps!)

I cannot wait for October 2019 when middle grade readers get to connect with this big-hearted character and cheer for her all the way. Highly recommend!

I received an advance reader's edition of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Katy O. · Rating 4 out of 5]

(free review copy) Swartz has given the middle grade market yet another heartfelt story that will resonate with so many readers! In GIVE AND TAKE, 7th grader Maggie is dealing with major anxiety that manifests in hoarding behaviors, along with sadness about the death of her grandmother and uncertainty about her family's new role fostering infants before adoption. She is also on a trap-shooting team and is dealing with changes to her team. There are such strong family dynamics in the story, and I really love how her parents dealt with her mental health crisis.

This is a highly accessible text and I think the sweet spot for it is grades 3-6 - Maggie reads younger to me than her 7th grade status, but we all know that every child is different. I will definitely be purchasing this book for my school libraries!

[Sarah Aronson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just woke up extra early to finish Elly Swartz's newest novel, GIVE AND TAKE. (I couldn't put it down!!!) I was so lucky to receive an early ARC through #booksojourn and Elly.

This book is overflowing with heart and yearning and the real fears kids experience when it comes to the confusing and painful nature of loss. It's also about friendship and family--and real and tough choices. And big emotions. Maggie and her family are interesting and will give young readers much to think about.

Only spoiler: Get your tissues ready. You will need them.

[Laurie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interest Level: 3-6; Reading Level: 4.2

Do you like to collect things? Baseball cards...Coins...Action Figures? But what about when you start collecting things like gum wrappers, used plates and straws, milk cartons? Maggie is a fun-loving kid who has great friends, a loving family, and is a pro at trapshooting. However, Maggie has a lot of stress in her life. Her family is becoming a foster family for a newborn baby while she is awaiting her forever adopted family. Maggie loves Izzie so much that she wants to be her forever sister, but she knows that she can't so she takes things that belong to Izzie to help her always remember her - one of her baby socks, diaper tabs, and a piece from a disposable bottle. Maggie is also dealing with the loss of her Nana. Maggie has saved a tassel from her favorite scarf, butterscotch wrappers, and a used plate from a holiday picnic. She also has an issue going on with her all-girl trapshooting team. One of the girls is being transferred off of the team and a boy is being added. She has collected things like straws, milk cartons, and gum wrappers from her friends. All in all, Maggie has seven boxes hidden in her closet, three under her bed, and a locker full of stuff. When Maggie's mom stumbles upon all of her stuff she realizes that Maggie has a problem, Maggie explodes in anger and treats her mom in a way that she knows is not right. Maggie's supportive parents realizes that she needs help and they take her to a doctor who helps her with her hoarding problem. Maggie watched her grandmother deal with dementia, a disease that affects the brain and its memory. Maggie is so afraid that she will forget things that she collects things, even trash, to help her alway remember. Will Maggie be able to get a handle on her hoarding issues or will it go spiraling out of control? Will she be able to convince her parents that they need to keep Izzie or will she have to say good-bye to her? Will the safety of her trapshooting team be shattered or will she be able to hold it all together? Read this incredible book to find out!!

This book was absolutely amazing! From the first page Elly Swartz pulls you into Maggie's world and you become one fo the family. You will feel the hurt, sorrow, love, and desperation as Maggie deals with each situation As Maggie deals with her hoarding issues you will want to cheer for her with each baby step that she takes. I love that at the end of this book it has a section about childhood hoarding from a clinical psychologist. This is a fantastic book for anyone, but especially if you know anyone who is dealing with childhood hoarding. Do not miss this book!!!!

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[Alicia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maggie's worried she'll forget things, like her Nanna did. So she started collecting items, things to remember moments by. They're her special treasures, but she's running out of boxes.
This was one of those books that raises your red flags. Emotional attachments to old food containers is a bit of a giveaway. But it was so understandable why Maggie wanted to preserve all her moments.
You can tell a lot of research went into this one, just from Maggie's descriptions of her rage monster and the processes she goes through to heal. There is a bit of Perfect ParentsTM going on: they're always very calm and say exactly the right things, and know exactly what to do next. But that did leave the story focused on Maggie, and really highlights her journey.

[Cheriee Weichel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maggie and her family foster a newborn until her forever parents are chosen and able to pick her up. This ends up being a serious challenge for her since she has a hard time letting go of all kinds of things. How can she let go of a baby sister she's come to love?
When her parents discover that Maggie is becoming a hoarder, they make sure she gets the help she needs to learn to let go and trust that she won't lose her memories like her Nana did.
I fell head over heels for this wonderful family. Maggie has supportive parents and two considerate siblings. I would wish for all children to have a grandfather like hers.
This kind of realistic fiction is the kind I love most. It provides a window and a mirror for students dealing with mental health issues. At the same time, it provides a model for dealing with challenges and difficulties in an emotionally healthy way.

[Kristin Crouch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to the author for sharing an ARC of Give and Take with Collabookation.
Wowza, Elly Swartz does it again: creates a real (not perfect) family that I'd gladly live next door to. This story centers around Maggie, a big hearted girl who recently lost her grandma to dementia and it's complications. Despite her having so many wonderful things in her life: wonderful parents, a supportive grandpa nearby who knows when it's the right time to just sit together, an adoring little brother, a busy yet caring older brother, a good friend network, and interests outside of school (I'll get to this in a bit), she finds herself sinking into some anxiety and she's starting to have anger issues.
Her anxiety causes her to start collecting things, small things. Soon enough, her closet and locker are full of stuff she's saved, and so is under her bed. Eventually she can't hide it anymore, but when her mother tries to clean it up, she can't bear the thought of that either. This story is heartbreaking in the best of ways, because it's the story of Maggie and her family working through some serious stuff.
Like so many wonderful authors, Swartz handles her characters with care, and in my opinion, it is so necessary. Yes, it's true I spend time every day with kids who wouldn't have the support Maggie has, so maybe on my worst days I think a supportive family might be too idealistic. BUT, hear me out: it isn't. Because when I'm able to hand my students stories of kids struggling through serious and difficult issues with support ~ my students might feel that support. They can see it, think about it, know it. And if that's what I'm able to provide because of authors like Elly Swartz, then my students with less-than-supportive homes still win.
I might have gone a little off-topic there. Back to the book: not only does Ms. Swartz care for her characters, she cares enough to make no one perfect. This comes up with Maggie's chosen sport, and one that I had never known about: trap. Having seen it in movies, I knew it's people shooting clay pigeons, but it was a wonderful sport to learn more about. I love reading MG that widens my lense of the world, and my students do too.
I recommend Give and Take highly to anybody and everybody, but if you do have that student who does seem to be anxious, this book could be a particular support to them. Whether or not people act on their anxiety, as Maggie did, the therapy sessions do provide some coping mechanisms that could be helpful. At the very least, readers who find themselves increasingly anxious could learn that they are not alone in those feelings.

[Sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5

Huge thank you to Raincoast for this ARC!

I am clearly a huge fan of books featuring turtle pets in them.

All hail Bert the Turtle.

Anyways,

Years ago, I read Elly Swartz's debut novel Finding Perfect, and adored it. Swartz has this amazing ability to tackle tough subjects in middle grade in such a way where it is both gentle and effective. Give & Take looks at twelve-year-old Maggie, who falls in love with a baby her parents are fostering, but is forced to learn that not everything in permanent and change can be challenging.

What I love about this book is it's portrayal of coping mechanisms. In this story Maggie hordes anything and everything. She has an compulsion to keep things like candy wrappers and garbage, but treats it with the utmost care. She knows where everything is in her room, and throughout the story is grasping with two concepts: the idea that she has a lot of things but struggles to part with them, and the understanding that she attributes value to items that are deemed valueless. When Izzie, the baby her parents are fostering comes and goes in the story, Maggie's triggers become clearer in the story and she is aware in a lot of ways that she is grieving something beyond her control.

This book is beautiful and sad, but super hopeful as well. Maggie learning to manage herself is difficult to read at times, but Swartz does it in a way where the reader is rooting for her. We want to see her succeed, we want to see her grow, we want her to know that grieving is a natural thing. There's a lot of emotional impact in this story, but it's very subtle throughout.

Give & Take is a fantastic read for those who love gentler books but want them to still have an emotional punch. This book took me awhile to read, and that's mainly because I was so absorbed in Maggie's world and wanting to understand her and her thought process. I think many readers will be able to identify with Maggie in some way, and her voice and charm really do make her the MVP of this very emotional read.

[Carin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maggie's beloved grandmother recently died after a bout with dementia. And now her family is fostering a pre-adoption baby, Izzie. Maggie already was dealing with her anxiety by hoarding, but the knowledge that this tiny baby she loves so much is going to leave and won't remember her, is too much for Maggie. Terrified that she will start to forget things as well, her hoarding kicks into overdrive. After a scary day when she screams at her mother for touching a box of her things, her parents bring her to a therapist who helps her deal with her feelings and with her not-good coping method.

Meanwhile, her all-girls trap shooting team gets a new member: a boy, Mason, and loses one of her friends, which throws Maggie for a further loop, even though it means the team is better. When her pet turtle goes missing in her grandfather's yard, will it be more than Maggie can cope with?

The hoarding is portrayed realistically (along with the defensive thinking that as long as she doesn't look like an episode of Hoarders and can still walk through her room, there's no problem here.) In fact, I think most of us will think back to a box in the closet filled with old birthday cards and movie ticket stubs and other mementos. Where do you draw the line?

Her family is lovingly portrayed, Maggie as the middle sister between two brothers has a lot of emotions on her back, and the issue of very-short-term infant fostering is an interesting and new one to me. As is the hobby of trap shooting. I really appreciated the author's creativity and research in not going with the usual suspects in both issues and after-school activities. There's an explanation at the end of research she did and further resources for anxiety and hoarding in children.

[Cynthia Parkhill · Rating 4 out of 5]

With Give and Take, author Elly Swartz addresses compulsive hoarding. The protagonist, 12-year-old Maggie, suffered a traumatic experience when her beloved grandmother suddenly no longer remembered who Maggie was.

More recently, Maggie faces having to surrender a foster-baby whom her family is caring for, and her trapshooting squad is losing its status as an all "Girl Power" team. One of her friends was transferred to another team and a boy now holds her position. So much upheaval ... and Maggie is afraid that she will forget, like her Nana, so Maggie secretly hoards items that are reminders of her memories.

I thought that Swartz's treatment of Maggie was very compassionate and believable; she's a well-rounded character, and I cared about knowing what would happen to her. Give and Take offers a valuable perspective on childhood mental health.

(I received a digital ARC of this book through NetGalley)

[Maureen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Elly Swartz has again brought a perfectly imperfect heroine to middle grade readers. Maggie, a champion skeet shooter, lives with her parents and brothers in a loving home. Maggie’s parents decide to become short term foster parents for babies who are awaiting their adoptive homes. Maggie and the boys are totally on board. But when Baby Isabelle joins the family, they all bond with her immediately. Maggie, who does not handle goodbyes well, begins to keep small insignificant (to others) items to help her remember happy times in her life. However, her boxes full of her memories begin to overflow and cause problems both at home and at school. Maggie’s family is realistic, and I love the support they give all their children. Thank you so much for the opportunity to be an early reader. I won’t quickly forget Maggie.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Many thanks to EdelweissPlus and the publisher for providing me with an eARC of this title for review. All opinions are my own.

As someone who struggles with anxiety herself, this book hit REALLY close to home. While I couldn't relate to the hoarding issues that Maggie dealt with in the story, her fears about causing bad things to happen with her thoughts, her worries about forgetting important and happy memories, her struggles with letting go of things, all of that felt achingly real to me. Swartz has done an amazing job capturing what it's like to live with a voice in your head that contradicts what the rest of the world would consider typical. She was someone that you could completely relate to as you read the book. Highly recommend this and would consider it a first purchase for those schools/collections that serve students in grades 4-8.

[Brittany Bays · Rating 5 out of 5]

** THANKS TO THE @KIDLITEXCHANGE NETWORK FOR THE REVIEW COPY OF THIS BOOK -- ALL OPINIONS ARE MY OWN**

This. Book. Is. Sunshine. That's the best word of how this book made me feel. Maggie was such a lovable character from start to finish - possibly my favorite middle grade character I've ever read.

My favorite thing about this book is the tough topics it covers, so effortlessly. Death of a grandparent, seeing a therapist, short-term fostering, having compulsions/hoarding issues, tough moments with friends and family... every chapter there was a new chance for a reader to see themselves in the writing. I even found connections for myself as a grown adult!

This book NEEDS to be in your classrooms, your homes - buy it, pass it along, gift it, it's truly something special. OCTOBER 15TH 2019 - GRAB IT!

[Karen McKenna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I appreciated the unique elements of this book:
- the sport of trap shooting
- a pet turtle
- anxiety manifesting as holding on to things
- a real look at therapy for kids
- infant foster care and adoption

I really felt Maggie's journey as she struggled with anxiety that threatened to make the "big ugly" come out and spin out of control. Her lists of kept items and how she worked through them was really interesting and I appreciate how it normalizes and destigmatizes anxiety and therapy. I also appreciated how many other factors, like her relationships with her parents, her relationships with younger and older siblings, her relationship with her grandpa, her relationships with her friends, and even a relationship with a new team mate all swirl together to bring Maggie's voice to life.

[Laura Gardner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Give and Take by @ellyswartzbooks (thanks for the free book for #kidlitexchange via @kate.olson.reads!) is a classic #mglit problem book about a young girl who is struggling with anxiety. Issues addressed include childhood hoarding, foster care, adoption, friendship problems and more. 4/5; recommended for grades 3+. Definitely recommend to readers who loved Finding Perfect!

[Lisa]

This is another touching story, about a girl who is not perfect, but has a big heart, from Elly Swartz. Maggie is dealing with anxiety, sadness, and the fear of letting go, but with support of friends and family works through her challenges.

[Jill Diamond · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved both of Elly Swartz's other books - FINDING PERFECT and SMART COOKIE - so I was excited for GIVE AND TAKE. Once again, Swartz writes an important, touching and heartfelt story, this time about Maggie, a twelve-year-old girl dealing with change, loss, and anxiety. A wonderful book that handles the issues of hoarding and mental health in a compassionate way - highly recommended!

[Melinda Bender · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maggie’s Nana has passed away from dementia and Maggie fears if she doesn’t save her memories that she will forget important times in her life like Nana did. Maggie saves momentos in boxes under her bed until she is exposed and has to confront her anxieties. Beautifully told story of losing loved ones and finding the strength to carry on.

[Amber Kuehler · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love that Elly tackles mental health issues in kids and this is something we NEED more of in kid lit!!!

In this book, Maggie struggles with letting go of physical things such as gum wrappers, bendy straws and other miscellaneous memorabilia that isn’t significant to her family, but it is significant to her. Maggie is worried she will lose the memory attached to the item if she throws it away. When her parents notice that she is keeping things that she doesn’t need to keep, they take action and seek help.

Kids need to read about mental health just like they read about kids with physical health issues. Books like this help normalize mental health issues and are so important! Great job, Elly!!!

[Pam Page · Rating 5 out of 5]

Swartz tackles the topics of anxiety and hoarding in this middle grade novel. Maggie's grandmother passed away and in her late stages of dementia she did not recognize Maggie any longer. This led to Maggie not wanting to let go of "things" to enable her to keep her memories. I love the way Maggie's parents handle the issue gently, yet do not just let it go. Beautiful story that I really enjoyed.

[Grace · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book! This book follows a story about Maggie who has an anxiety that has to do with being afraid of forgetting. Maggie hides things that other people would throw out like milk cartons and gum rappers. She’s doesn’t want to throw things out because she doesn’t want to forget them. For example, the gum rappers were from a memory with her friends that she doesn’t want to forget. Along with this, Maggie also has to let go of her foster sister and give her to a forever home. Along the way Maggie learns about friendship, letting go, and pushing through. You’ll fall in love with Maggie and her huge heart. Thank you for reading, I strongly recommend this book.

[Shari · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been excited to read this book since I first heard about it! Elly writes about complex emotional struggles in children with such tenderness and understanding. In Give and Take, bighearted Maggie loves to save things - hurt or lost animals, the feelings of friends. When dementia causes her beloved grandmother to forget Maggie, she tries to save her own memories by hiding away a growing collection of objects. During this time, her family also begins to foster a newborn, whom Maggie instantly adores, knowing (and worrying) that she will have to let go when the baby is adopted by her "forever family."
As Maggie's anxiety and her collection grow, they become unmanageable. Fortunately, Maggie is not on her own, and her family and therapist support her efforts to overcome her hoarding and cope with her anxiety. I really love that the story doesn't end with Maggie getting help, but that we see her struggle through the process of letting go of her hoard. This book will be so helpful for young readers to understand something that many people struggle with, yet that is mocked and denigrated all too often. Also, for kids to see Maggie work through it - how it affects other aspects of her life, and how she handles challenges and setbacks.
I'm so thankful for stories like this, which can tenderly shepherd children through difficult experiences, give them hope, and let them know they are not alone. I also loved that this book deals with adoption/fostering in such a loving way. I have three foster-to-adopt nieces/nephew, and their stories need to be included in positive ways too.

[Lana · Rating 2 out of 5]

The cover was nice. Unfortunately, this entire book was completely unrealistic. The mindset of the characters, the parents reactions, the whole thing. We have fostered and done this EXACT thing before- except it was a baby boy. This book was really disappointing, and I hope there are books out there that capture what fostering truly is. I could sit here and name all the stuff wrong, but that would take me all day.

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Elly Swartz is a master storyteller who has a unique way with words. Her books are filled with heart and soul. Give and Take is no different. This powerful story of twelve year old Maggie’s journey will quickly become a favorite for middle grade readers whether they be children or adults.

[Cindy Mitchell *Kiss the Book* · Rating 4 out of 5]

Give and Take by Elly Swartz, 301 pages. Farrar, Straus, Giroux (Macmillan), 2019. $17

Content: G

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ESSENTIAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

Since the day her Nana stopped recognizing her, Maggie has tried to hold tight to every memory – which means she holds onto a thing to help her remember. Maybe it’s the necklace her grandmother gave her, but maybe it’s the milk carton from a great lunch with her friends. Her locker is full; her closet is full. Then her mom announces that they are fostering a baby before her adoption placement – how do you hold onto a baby? Luckily Maggie’s family is there for her and the therapist they find is – slowly – able to help Maggie let go of things and process her feelings.

Fans of Elly Swartz will love meeting Maggie. While I not fond of books where the main character (pretty much always a 12yo girl) as the driver for her conflict, I must admit that Swartz has tackled a diversity of issues and really tries to show the main character dealing with that issue in a realistic way.

Cindy, Library Teacher, MLS
https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2020...

[Olga Barnes · Rating 5 out of 5]

I cannot praise this book enough! It is so touching, so emotional, so very reflective of our kids' inner worlds! Up to now, I have not seen a lot of books that would include the complex dynamics of fostering a child - not from the standpoint of that child, but from the standpoint of other family members. This book is a first for me! It reflects the relationships between different generations within a family (those grandparents are SO important!), between siblings, friends, members of a team, humans and pets - you name it, the book has it. I absolutely loved the fact that I found factual information at the end of the book!

[Panda Incognito · Rating 3 out of 5]

This middle grade novel sensitively explores temporary-basis foster care, loss of a grandparent to dementia, and a child's anxiety and hoarding tendencies in response to these emotions and stresses in her life. I appreciate the rare representation of these issues, but the book didn't live up to my hopes. The third act was a hodgepodge of subplots that were not nearly as powerful as the foster care story, and I grew very weary of the main character's cutesy narrative voice. She was supposed to be twelve, but I kept picturing her as eight or nine, and her cutesy, unconventional, grammatically unsound ways of expressing her emotions grated and felt more artificial as the book went on. I appreciate all that this book accomplished and would not discourage anyone from reading it, but I did not like it nearly as much as I was hoping to.

[Michelle Simpson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a heartfelt story about Maggie, who is struggling with the many changes in her life, including a baby for whom they are serving as a foster family. Before her death Maggie’s grandma (who suffered with dementia) forgot Maggie. This created a fear in Maggie about forgetting the important people and events in her life. She begins keeping all kinds of objects, including trash, to assure herself that she will remember what is important to her. She becomes obsessive and territorial about her collections, to the point it affects her moods and interactions with others. Maggie’s parents recognize her anxiety and seek help from a professional. This is a really unique story with great characters and relationships.

Early digital copy provided by Edelweiss.

[Christine Indorf · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great 4 star middle grade!

Maggie can't let anything go. When the family fosters a new baby Maggie wants her family to keep her so she continues to hide things of her. When the parents discover her hoarding Maggie gets help for her problem. During therapy she learns so much about herself. When faced with a problem that was told as a secret but wasn't right, she does the right thing and told the truth no matter the consequents. A great book for middle graders and adults alike. If you child is struggle with mental health this book really is for you. Handle with care I thought this book did a wonderful job showing how to deal with the problem. Highly recommend!!