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A Drop of Hope
"A book that reminds us of the kindness we are all capable of." -- Gary D. Schmidt, Newbery Honor winner and author of Okay for Now A well. A wish. And a little drop of hope.Times are tough. Jobs are scarce and miracles are in short supply. But something strange is happening in Cliffs Donelly, Ohio. An old well has suddenly, impossibly, begun to grant wishes. And three sixth graders are the only ones who know why.Ernest Wilmette believes a good deed makes magic happen. Ryan Hardy thinks they should just mind their own business. Lizzy MacComber believes in facts, not fairy tales. Of course, you don't have to believe in wishes to make one.As more wishes are made, the well's true secret gets harder and harder to keep. Ernest, Ryan, and Lizzy know they can't fix the world. But in their own little corner of it, they can give everyone a little hope... one wish at a time.
320 pages, Paperback
First published February 26, 2019
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November 19, 2018
Richie’s Picks: A DROP OF HOPE by Keith Calabrese, Scholastic Press, February 2019, 320p., ISBN: 978-1-338-23320-9
“You may say I’m a dreamer
But I’m not the only one”
-- John Lennon
“‘Thompkins Well?’ Ernest said. ‘We’re inside Thompkins Well?’
‘Yeah, I think so.’ Ryan picked up one of the coins. ‘Explains all the change. Some of these are pretty old.’
‘Hello?’ A voice echoed around them; it seemed to come from the well itself,
Ryan and Ernest froze,
‘Ryan…” Ernest whispered, but his voice quivering urgently. ‘The well is haunted.’
‘No, it’s not,’ Ryan said with less certainty than he’d hoped to muster.
‘Um, this is Winston,’ the voice echoed again.
Ernest whimpered. “Ryan, the ghost is named Winston.’
‘Ernest, shut up,’ Ryan snapped.
The mystery voice kept talking. Apparently it couldn’t hear them.
‘This is silly, I know. But I heard your story in school today, about how you granted a wish to an old man named Thompkins and saved his baby grandson from dying.’
It was starting to make sense to Ryan now. ‘That’s Winston Patil, ‘ he whispered.
‘From school?’ Ernest looked confused.
‘Oh, sorry,’ Winston said from above. ‘Almost forgot.’ A quarter dropped down from above, smacking Ernest on the head. Ernest looked up the shaft, catching on.
‘So, as you probably know, I’d like to make a wish, too. It’s not as big as the Ezekiel Thompkins wish. It’s not life or death or anything. I’m new here and, well, it’s kind of hard to fit in. I’m not asking to be popular or anything but maybe...someone my age to talk to would be nice. I just...I’d like a friend.’
Ryan felt awkward hearing Winston’s wish. He knew it was an accident, but still, this was something private, and Ryan felt dirty for listening to it.
‘Anyway, thanks for listening,’ Winston said after a long absence.
‘Wow,’ Ernest said after Winston had walked away.
Ryan said, ‘Let’s get out of here.’
‘I never realized Winston felt that way,’ said Ernest as they inched back through the tunnel.
‘Seriously?’ Ryan scoffed. ‘Kid buries his head in his sketchbook every day at lunch. Never talks to anyone, barely looks up.’
Ryan started leading them up the trail.
‘I know,’ said Ernest. But at least now we can do something about it.’
‘Do? What are we going to do?’
‘Well, we can...you know. Befriend him.’
‘Befriend him?’
‘Yeah, become his friend.’
Ryan shook his head. ‘It doesn’t work like that.’
‘It could.’
‘Yeah? How? We just go up to him and say, ‘Hi, Winston, let’s be friends?’
Ernest started to answer, but Ryan plowed ahead. ‘And what’s this “we” you keep talking about? I mean, we aren’t even friends.’
‘I know…’
‘You don’t,’ Ryan started, then stopped. How did you even go about explaining the world to someone like Ernest? ‘What happens if you discover you don’t like him? Or if he doesn’t like you?’
‘Doesn’t mean we--I-- shouldn’t try.’”
In the parlance of the publishing industry, I’m a “big mouth.” I’ve got a passion for sharing my opinions about great new books I’ve read. I love getting these books into the hands of young people by way of my connections with teachers, librarians, parents, and booksellers. I enjoy that many of the books I talk about go on to win awards or sell lots of copies, or both.
Every once in awhile, I come across a book that is different, one that is custom made for my own inner geeky child. I was once the odd duck, the fifth grade boy who wasn’t into roughhousing and showing off. I was the well-behaved, firstborn child who read circles around everyone else and was moved by stories that spoke to the lack of kindness and the lack of fairness that I perceived both in my own world and out in The World.
I felt sad last night when I reluctantly reached the last page of A DROP OF HOPE. Books that engage my inner geeky child don’t often come along. Although I’ll surely reread this story, experiencing its many surprises for the first time was a uniquely delightful experience.
Filled with surprises--some would say miracles--A DROP OF HOPE takes place in the Midwest, in a town named Cliffs Donnelly. Like so many real towns in the Midwest, the town has suffered from globalization. The story is told from the perspectives of numerous characters, mostly sixth graders. At the outset, it can be challenging to keep them straight, but they are all well-drawn characters and I quickly sorted them out.
Occasionally, I’d have to look back to check someone’s identity. Sometimes that was the result of the author inserting a new character we hadn’t yet met, as if we should know them, and then hitting us with a surprise connection.
Some impatient readers won’t be thrilled by this. But my geeky inner child was delighted with the way that the story comes together with the smoothness and flourish of a perfectly aligned and balanced Rube Goldberg machine.
At the center of the story are three sixth grade classmates: Ethan Wilmette, Ryan Hardy, and Lizzy MacComber. Ethan is a dreamer and a boy of very small stature. His father is the third-generation owner of Wilmette Stamping, Tool & Die, the community’s old, struggling, manufacturing plant. Ryan is the son of an upper-level employee at the plant. Ryan’s dad has been spending way too much time watching angry talking heads on TV who point fingers at Those People and Those Countries who are supposedly responsible for the economic struggles of towns like Cliffs Donnelly. Lizzy is the brilliant Hermione to Ethan and Ryan. Her father has abandoned her and her mom, leaving Lizzy to be frequently watched after school--and victimized--by her nasty aunt and girl cousin.
Also at the center of the story is Thompkins Well, where, legend has it, a miracle took place generations ago.
After Ethan and Ryan discover a hidden tunnel in the town park and unwittingly find themselves at the bottom of Thompkins Well, and after Ethan decides to embark on making wishers’ wishes come true, the trio of sixth graders repeatedly discover that Ethan’s efforts somehow do contribute to dreams coming true, even though it’s never in the manner one would anticipate.
This book is constructed with such great storytelling and so much heart! In this town, where families have lived for generations, several old people are the key to all sorts of surprise connections. And there’s a good measure of humor. It’s hard to be cynical about the existence of magic and miracles in the face of the snowballing good will and wishes coming true.
But it’s not all one happytown. A memorable character, beyond the core trio, is Tommy Bricks, a sixth grade bully who first comes to our attention when he’s tormenting Winston at recess. Thanks to the multi-narrator storytelling structure, we also get to see Tommy’s side of things. The book will help readers see how exposure to multiple perspectives--walking a mile in someone’s shoes--changes our understanding and ability to empathize.
Other children’s books published in 2019 may go on to win more awards and sell more copies than A DROP OF HOPE. But it’s going to take something special to touch my heart the way this one did. My wish is that we get to read a lot more stories from talented first-time novelist Keith Calabrese.
Richie Partington, MLIS
Richie's Picks http://richiespicks.pbworks.com
https://www.facebook.com/richiespicks/
richiepartington@gmail.com
“You may say I’m a dreamer
But I’m not the only one”
-- John Lennon
“‘Thompkins Well?’ Ernest said. ‘We’re inside Thompkins Well?’
‘Yeah, I think so.’ Ryan picked up one of the coins. ‘Explains all the change. Some of these are pretty old.’
‘Hello?’ A voice echoed around them; it seemed to come from the well itself,
Ryan and Ernest froze,
‘Ryan…” Ernest whispered, but his voice quivering urgently. ‘The well is haunted.’
‘No, it’s not,’ Ryan said with less certainty than he’d hoped to muster.
‘Um, this is Winston,’ the voice echoed again.
Ernest whimpered. “Ryan, the ghost is named Winston.’
‘Ernest, shut up,’ Ryan snapped.
The mystery voice kept talking. Apparently it couldn’t hear them.
‘This is silly, I know. But I heard your story in school today, about how you granted a wish to an old man named Thompkins and saved his baby grandson from dying.’
It was starting to make sense to Ryan now. ‘That’s Winston Patil, ‘ he whispered.
‘From school?’ Ernest looked confused.
‘Oh, sorry,’ Winston said from above. ‘Almost forgot.’ A quarter dropped down from above, smacking Ernest on the head. Ernest looked up the shaft, catching on.
‘So, as you probably know, I’d like to make a wish, too. It’s not as big as the Ezekiel Thompkins wish. It’s not life or death or anything. I’m new here and, well, it’s kind of hard to fit in. I’m not asking to be popular or anything but maybe...someone my age to talk to would be nice. I just...I’d like a friend.’
Ryan felt awkward hearing Winston’s wish. He knew it was an accident, but still, this was something private, and Ryan felt dirty for listening to it.
‘Anyway, thanks for listening,’ Winston said after a long absence.
‘Wow,’ Ernest said after Winston had walked away.
Ryan said, ‘Let’s get out of here.’
‘I never realized Winston felt that way,’ said Ernest as they inched back through the tunnel.
‘Seriously?’ Ryan scoffed. ‘Kid buries his head in his sketchbook every day at lunch. Never talks to anyone, barely looks up.’
Ryan started leading them up the trail.
‘I know,’ said Ernest. But at least now we can do something about it.’
‘Do? What are we going to do?’
‘Well, we can...you know. Befriend him.’
‘Befriend him?’
‘Yeah, become his friend.’
Ryan shook his head. ‘It doesn’t work like that.’
‘It could.’
‘Yeah? How? We just go up to him and say, ‘Hi, Winston, let’s be friends?’
Ernest started to answer, but Ryan plowed ahead. ‘And what’s this “we” you keep talking about? I mean, we aren’t even friends.’
‘I know…’
‘You don’t,’ Ryan started, then stopped. How did you even go about explaining the world to someone like Ernest? ‘What happens if you discover you don’t like him? Or if he doesn’t like you?’
‘Doesn’t mean we--I-- shouldn’t try.’”
In the parlance of the publishing industry, I’m a “big mouth.” I’ve got a passion for sharing my opinions about great new books I’ve read. I love getting these books into the hands of young people by way of my connections with teachers, librarians, parents, and booksellers. I enjoy that many of the books I talk about go on to win awards or sell lots of copies, or both.
Every once in awhile, I come across a book that is different, one that is custom made for my own inner geeky child. I was once the odd duck, the fifth grade boy who wasn’t into roughhousing and showing off. I was the well-behaved, firstborn child who read circles around everyone else and was moved by stories that spoke to the lack of kindness and the lack of fairness that I perceived both in my own world and out in The World.
I felt sad last night when I reluctantly reached the last page of A DROP OF HOPE. Books that engage my inner geeky child don’t often come along. Although I’ll surely reread this story, experiencing its many surprises for the first time was a uniquely delightful experience.
Filled with surprises--some would say miracles--A DROP OF HOPE takes place in the Midwest, in a town named Cliffs Donnelly. Like so many real towns in the Midwest, the town has suffered from globalization. The story is told from the perspectives of numerous characters, mostly sixth graders. At the outset, it can be challenging to keep them straight, but they are all well-drawn characters and I quickly sorted them out.
Occasionally, I’d have to look back to check someone’s identity. Sometimes that was the result of the author inserting a new character we hadn’t yet met, as if we should know them, and then hitting us with a surprise connection.
Some impatient readers won’t be thrilled by this. But my geeky inner child was delighted with the way that the story comes together with the smoothness and flourish of a perfectly aligned and balanced Rube Goldberg machine.
At the center of the story are three sixth grade classmates: Ethan Wilmette, Ryan Hardy, and Lizzy MacComber. Ethan is a dreamer and a boy of very small stature. His father is the third-generation owner of Wilmette Stamping, Tool & Die, the community’s old, struggling, manufacturing plant. Ryan is the son of an upper-level employee at the plant. Ryan’s dad has been spending way too much time watching angry talking heads on TV who point fingers at Those People and Those Countries who are supposedly responsible for the economic struggles of towns like Cliffs Donnelly. Lizzy is the brilliant Hermione to Ethan and Ryan. Her father has abandoned her and her mom, leaving Lizzy to be frequently watched after school--and victimized--by her nasty aunt and girl cousin.
Also at the center of the story is Thompkins Well, where, legend has it, a miracle took place generations ago.
After Ethan and Ryan discover a hidden tunnel in the town park and unwittingly find themselves at the bottom of Thompkins Well, and after Ethan decides to embark on making wishers’ wishes come true, the trio of sixth graders repeatedly discover that Ethan’s efforts somehow do contribute to dreams coming true, even though it’s never in the manner one would anticipate.
This book is constructed with such great storytelling and so much heart! In this town, where families have lived for generations, several old people are the key to all sorts of surprise connections. And there’s a good measure of humor. It’s hard to be cynical about the existence of magic and miracles in the face of the snowballing good will and wishes coming true.
But it’s not all one happytown. A memorable character, beyond the core trio, is Tommy Bricks, a sixth grade bully who first comes to our attention when he’s tormenting Winston at recess. Thanks to the multi-narrator storytelling structure, we also get to see Tommy’s side of things. The book will help readers see how exposure to multiple perspectives--walking a mile in someone’s shoes--changes our understanding and ability to empathize.
Other children’s books published in 2019 may go on to win more awards and sell more copies than A DROP OF HOPE. But it’s going to take something special to touch my heart the way this one did. My wish is that we get to read a lot more stories from talented first-time novelist Keith Calabrese.
Richie Partington, MLIS
Richie's Picks http://richiespicks.pbworks.com
https://www.facebook.com/richiespicks/
richiepartington@gmail.com
May 12, 2019
This book feels like your quintessential middle grade novel: characters who are a little trope-y and who learn about the power of friendship. But where this book really shone was how all the events and side characters became interwoven into a whole story. Calabrese does a great job at even-handedly exploring the main characters lives, progressing the overarching plot, and giving snapshots of other characters' lives.
What really sold me on the book was the theme of kindness and goodness. Instead of feeling shoehorned, the goodwill the characters give to each other feel heartfelt and genuine. Sure, there's conflict and bumps in the road, but in the end it turns out alright. I'm leaving this book with a spring in my step and a warmth in my heart because it has reminded me how little coincidences can add up to big gifts.
What really sold me on the book was the theme of kindness and goodness. Instead of feeling shoehorned, the goodwill the characters give to each other feel heartfelt and genuine. Sure, there's conflict and bumps in the road, but in the end it turns out alright. I'm leaving this book with a spring in my step and a warmth in my heart because it has reminded me how little coincidences can add up to big gifts.
June 2, 2019
What a surprise find this book was! I got it from our library but will be buying it for a re-read sometime soon. I love middle grade novels and use the excuse of pre-screening them for my daughter to read as many as I can. Upon finishing, I instantly handed this one to my girl, and hope she likes it as much as I did. Books, stories, they can change the world. This one is just so wonderful. It follows three main characters and then a ton of side characters, all with secret hopes, dreams and suffering. The author did a fantastic job drawing each of these characters into the story and making you fall in love with the town.
I would call this a book hug kind of book. The kind you smile because it's awesome and just give it a squeeze when you're through with it because you're kind of sad it's over. Don't be mistaken though, there are heavy topics covered in this, from post traumatic stress after war, body image issues, physical abuse, teen misbehavior, and racial tension to name a few but it's all told through a lens of hope and a recognition that people can and sometimes want to change.. If anything, reading this book reminded me how resilient kids are.
I hope my girl reads this and sees how one small act of kindness can trigger many other fantastic things. That it's always okay to be kind and to look for chances to make this world a better place. Life is hard, we all have struggles, and it's nice when we can help encourage each other along, and that's just what this book is all about. Throw in a wishing well, some mystery, and some unusual friendships and you will find yourself caught up in a wonderful story that just might change the world.
I would call this a book hug kind of book. The kind you smile because it's awesome and just give it a squeeze when you're through with it because you're kind of sad it's over. Don't be mistaken though, there are heavy topics covered in this, from post traumatic stress after war, body image issues, physical abuse, teen misbehavior, and racial tension to name a few but it's all told through a lens of hope and a recognition that people can and sometimes want to change.. If anything, reading this book reminded me how resilient kids are.
I hope my girl reads this and sees how one small act of kindness can trigger many other fantastic things. That it's always okay to be kind and to look for chances to make this world a better place. Life is hard, we all have struggles, and it's nice when we can help encourage each other along, and that's just what this book is all about. Throw in a wishing well, some mystery, and some unusual friendships and you will find yourself caught up in a wonderful story that just might change the world.
June 28, 2021
سه و هفتاد و پنج.
اگر به من باشه، به عنوان فریتیل دستهبندیش میکنم. =)
خیلی داستان شیرینی بود، به معنی واقعی کلمه. از این داستانایی که تقریبا همهچیز توش به خوبی و خوشی پیش میره. داستانای پشمک و آبنبات چوبی و اسبای تکشاخ، البته نه به معنی واقعی کلمه چون ژانر کتاب رئاله تا جایی که میدونم و خبری از این چیزا نیست توش. ولی خب همچین حسی داره.
در کل چیز جالبی بود، خوشمان آمد. اما خب بینظیر و محشر نبود.
اگر به من باشه، به عنوان فریتیل دستهبندیش میکنم. =)
خیلی داستان شیرینی بود، به معنی واقعی کلمه. از این داستانایی که تقریبا همهچیز توش به خوبی و خوشی پیش میره. داستانای پشمک و آبنبات چوبی و اسبای تکشاخ، البته نه به معنی واقعی کلمه چون ژانر کتاب رئاله تا جایی که میدونم و خبری از این چیزا نیست توش. ولی خب همچین حسی داره.
در کل چیز جالبی بود، خوشمان آمد. اما خب بینظیر و محشر نبود.
November 2, 2019
This book started off slow, but has since stolen the hearts of each and every one of my students. We started off reading a bit at a time, and have come to the point where they beg me to keep reading the next chapter to see what happens next. We have all grown attached to the beloved characters Ernest, Ryan, Lizzy, Tommy, and Winston. It has become not only one of my favorite read-alouds, but favorite books ever. It deals with challenging situations within families, friendships, and relationships not delicately, but with remarkable empathy and understanding. Though at times bleak, and even seemingly hopeless, the outcome always results in serendipity...reminding each character (and in turn the reader) that there is always "a drop of hope", and that's all it takes to keep moving forward.
June 25, 2019
4.5 stars. This is a very sweet book that explores life in small town America, the emotional needs of kids and the power of hope. At times it was reminiscent of Wonder, both in the sweet tone and the multiple perspectives the story is told from.
Ryan, Ernest and Lizzie are the 3 main characters, but we also hear from other points of view. Unlike Wonder, we chop and change these points of view a little too often for my liking. We only stay with one character and story line for a page or two before shifting.
Tommy's story got to me, it saddens me that his story is real life for some children. Abusive, neglectful parents, effectively looking after himself from 6 years old, becoming the school bully. "When everyone expects the worst from you, sooner or later you give it to them."
Tell you what, though, these middle grade novels make being a teacher a hard thing to live up to! The characters are always so perfect!
This book either got better as the story developed, or else I just benefited from reading in a longer chunk. Even as some of the resolution became a little silly, I still found it thoroughly enjoyable.
Ryan, Ernest and Lizzie are the 3 main characters, but we also hear from other points of view. Unlike Wonder, we chop and change these points of view a little too often for my liking. We only stay with one character and story line for a page or two before shifting.
Tommy's story got to me, it saddens me that his story is real life for some children. Abusive, neglectful parents, effectively looking after himself from 6 years old, becoming the school bully. "When everyone expects the worst from you, sooner or later you give it to them."
Tell you what, though, these middle grade novels make being a teacher a hard thing to live up to! The characters are always so perfect!
This book either got better as the story developed, or else I just benefited from reading in a longer chunk. Even as some of the resolution became a little silly, I still found it thoroughly enjoyable.
February 24, 2019
I'm a little tired of the rich kid who isn't liked because he's both rich and weird trope, and this book has that. The coincidences that lead to the town's change, where hope is somehow spread via presents that go awry, are a little much but also make some sense. What bothered me more was a teacher so supposedly loved his students letting a reporter try to trip up one of those students - that rang very false.
ARC provided by publisher.
ARC provided by publisher.
April 3, 2023
Writing is okay but also I wanted to connect more with the story and the characters. Characters are somehow not convincing enough.
November 18, 2018
Many characters interwoven with hope. Grades 4-6.
February 24, 2019
I Received an ARC from the author to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
Whenever I approach a new book to review for middle grade students and my shelves at school I look at it through two different lenses. The first is that of a middle school teacher. Is this something that I would recommend to my fellow teachers? Is it a book I would recommend to my students and put on my shelves? Most importantly, is this a book that I can talk about with students because the message within is important? The second lens I look through is that of a grandparent. Is this a book that my grandchildren will enjoy and thus pass on to their teachers, and class-mates. This book goes above and beyond what I would normally recommend.
I have often spoke of the school I teach in. We are an IB school. We have several “Learner Profiles” that are a major part of our teachings. One of them is being “caring”. We require our students to complete community service in every grade. So, the idea that you have a group of students who set about to change the lives of people in their town made this a worth-while book. The book takes place in a small town named Cliffs Donnelly. Many of the major businesses in the town are closing. Two boys out exploring a tunnel realize, by accident, they have walked underneath the city’s wishing well. When they hear a class-mates wish a decision is made to help make it come true.
I loved that this book is told from multiple perspectives. I know that this will drive many people nuts. This has been their number one complaint of my own book. There are many more like me who love the different perspectives. I felt in this case it made the issues and secrets in the story, that are discovered within the town, more well-rounded. We learn that we can’t always judge a book, or bully by its cover. Things aren’t always what they seem. We also learn what one act of kindness can do and how it can be carried forward. These are lessons that we as teachers, parents, and grandparents want our kids to learn. There is no better way to learn this than through a book. I believe that many students will be able to relate to this book in a variety ways. I place this up there with one of the best books I’ve read so far this year. I really can’t wait to see what this author writes next.
This book comes out February 26, just two days away. This is a must read book so get ready to get your copy.
Whenever I approach a new book to review for middle grade students and my shelves at school I look at it through two different lenses. The first is that of a middle school teacher. Is this something that I would recommend to my fellow teachers? Is it a book I would recommend to my students and put on my shelves? Most importantly, is this a book that I can talk about with students because the message within is important? The second lens I look through is that of a grandparent. Is this a book that my grandchildren will enjoy and thus pass on to their teachers, and class-mates. This book goes above and beyond what I would normally recommend.
I have often spoke of the school I teach in. We are an IB school. We have several “Learner Profiles” that are a major part of our teachings. One of them is being “caring”. We require our students to complete community service in every grade. So, the idea that you have a group of students who set about to change the lives of people in their town made this a worth-while book. The book takes place in a small town named Cliffs Donnelly. Many of the major businesses in the town are closing. Two boys out exploring a tunnel realize, by accident, they have walked underneath the city’s wishing well. When they hear a class-mates wish a decision is made to help make it come true.
I loved that this book is told from multiple perspectives. I know that this will drive many people nuts. This has been their number one complaint of my own book. There are many more like me who love the different perspectives. I felt in this case it made the issues and secrets in the story, that are discovered within the town, more well-rounded. We learn that we can’t always judge a book, or bully by its cover. Things aren’t always what they seem. We also learn what one act of kindness can do and how it can be carried forward. These are lessons that we as teachers, parents, and grandparents want our kids to learn. There is no better way to learn this than through a book. I believe that many students will be able to relate to this book in a variety ways. I place this up there with one of the best books I’ve read so far this year. I really can’t wait to see what this author writes next.
This book comes out February 26, just two days away. This is a must read book so get ready to get your copy.
January 31, 2019
Read on the trip home from ALA and this held my interest through flight cancellations, last minute scrambles for alternatives, terrible weather, delays and discomfort which says a lot for the book ;-)
Really charming with a deeply interconnected set of circumstances. Magic or coincidence, human purpose or chance? Definitely intricate with a large cast of characters and a convoluted but fascinating set of events, this will take a good reader with a bit of patience who is looking for something a bit different. Our book club readers are going to love it.
I was given the galley in the Scholastic book and the young woman there described it as all about hope but not cheesy at all ;-) That is a good description as it is about hope and the goodness in the world and with no trace of the saccharine. Ending trails off a bit but still winds events up tidily but well. A very engaging diversion! Debut effort by an author to watch.
Really charming with a deeply interconnected set of circumstances. Magic or coincidence, human purpose or chance? Definitely intricate with a large cast of characters and a convoluted but fascinating set of events, this will take a good reader with a bit of patience who is looking for something a bit different. Our book club readers are going to love it.
I was given the galley in the Scholastic book and the young woman there described it as all about hope but not cheesy at all ;-) That is a good description as it is about hope and the goodness in the world and with no trace of the saccharine. Ending trails off a bit but still winds events up tidily but well. A very engaging diversion! Debut effort by an author to watch.
February 17, 2020
2019
Unlikely friendships, wishes, mystery, community, family, coming together
I enjoyed the writing style of this book with the different headings in each chapter. Plus, new characters and situations came into the story fast and caused me to wonder how and where everything would connect--but all came together in the end. I couldn't put this book down and it was a perfect way to spend a 3 day weekend.
Unlikely friendships, wishes, mystery, community, family, coming together
I enjoyed the writing style of this book with the different headings in each chapter. Plus, new characters and situations came into the story fast and caused me to wonder how and where everything would connect--but all came together in the end. I couldn't put this book down and it was a perfect way to spend a 3 day weekend.
February 9, 2021
This is a sweet and magical little story of a town. It's about friendship and wishes. What if we knew others' wishes and could help them come to pass? Can we be a friend or remind someone that they're pretty? We can't do everything, but we (each of us, even children) can do something and that something might just start a ripple of hope throughout the community. :)
Here are some favorite quotes:
"Nothing ever seemed to bother Ernest. And that was what bothered Ryan (p. 9)."
"Like with Grandpa Eddie's illness, they didn't talk about serious things around Ernest, and it bothered him. It was like riding in the back seat in the car, but worse. It was like he was riding in the back seat of his own family (p. 10)."
"Try as she might, Lizzy couldn't stop replaying the horrible encounter over in her mind, the attention to detail that served her so well in school now providing achingly perfect recall of every agonizing moment (p. 17)."
"If only. It was fast becoming the town's nickname. Because there was always another factory closing down, another business moving away, more people out of work, making the town a bit emptier than it was before (p. 21)."
"Parents always tell their kids to stand up for themselves, but they never mean for their kids to do it with them (p. 25)."
"Maybe it, too, was a piece of something, and... it just needed to be matched with other pieces. New pieces. And then things would start working again (p. 27)."
"Some days he said he was Irish Dominican, other days Polish Colombian or Welsh Kenyan or Creole Hawaiian. Ryan suspected these different ancestries were 'teachable moments' meant to subtly suggest that they were all Americans, and it shouldn't matter, anyway. Though maybe he was able trying to trick his students into looking at a map or a globe once in a while (p. 30)."
"Council Days were designed for kids to get the chance to air out their opinions on various issues. Teachers were encouraged to give each week a special topic--bullying, peer pressure, stress--but Mr. Earle went for a less direct approach. He knew that if you got kids talking, the rest would take care of itself, but that if you tried to manipulate the conversation, the kids would invariably clam up (p. 31)."
"Ryan loved playing football. Because when Ryan played football, he forgot about everything else. School, chores, a baby brother who hated him, and Mrs. Haemmerle's piece-of-junk lawn mower (p. 38)."
"Adults always say to stand up to bullies. They implication being that if you stand up to a bully, the bully will back down (p. 40)."
"Her mom always did the right thing. But her mom was alone. Her mom cried in her bedroom. If that's what doing the right thing got you, Lizzy couldn't help but wonder, then what was the point (p. 44)?"
"Here they were. Cliffs Donnelly, Ohio. Winston's father called it the heartland. His mother called it the middle of nowhere (p. 49)."
"Ryan, a kid who was only slightly less surly and disagreeable than Tommy, had come out of nowhere to stick up for Ernest (p. 59)."
"Ernest couldn't simply forget about what Winston had said at the well. Maybe you couldn't become somebody's friend just because they needed one. But what if you could?... Maybe he could show [the art set] to Winston at lunch to break the ice. Ernest was awful at art. He could ask Winston for pointers or something. It wasn't a terrible idea (p. 68)."
"Tommy didn't enjoy people being afraid of him. It wasn't fun, and it didn't make him feel good. But it felt better than having people look down on him. Or feel sorry for him. Nothing was worse than that... At first he'd thought Wilmette was looking down on him, but it wasn't that. It was more complicated, like he had looked inside Tommy, had seen who he really was (p. 71)."
"'You can't fix other people's problems. It just makes things worse (p. 83).'"
"At first the pairing was viewed with skepticism. But it was soon clear to everyone that these kids were, inexplicably but genuinely, becoming friends (p. 86)."
"Aaron and Jamie naturally assumed that Winston had wished for Tommy to stop bullying him. So the fact that the very next day Tommy had not only stopped but had become his new best friend? That got kids talking. Maybe Thompkins Well was more than a legend. Maybe it really was magic (p. 87)."
"Lizzy MacComber did not believe in wishing wells. But you don't have to believe in wishes to make one (p. 87)."
"When a person considers what they would wish for, it can teach them a little something about themselves. Something a person may not want to learn (p. 88)."
"'I wish I knew how to be pretty (p. 95).'"
"'I wish I knew how to help (p. 97).'"
"'We can help. We have a responsibility to help (p. 98).'"
"'Well, I'm pretty smart. Maybe not Lizzy MacComber smart, but I get good grades and all that. So, I'm thinking I can give some of my smarts to my little brother, to help him. To even things out a bit. That sounds fair, doesn't it?'... She'd do anything to help her little brother (p. 98)."
"'He had what they called an oversized heart. It's the kind of condition that's very treatable today, but back then... his heart just got too big. He went to sleep and never woke up (p. 107).'"
"'Shocking, I know... Me and complications.'... 'So, did you find something in the attic (p. 109)?'"
"'I said, you are pretty. And I don't get why you think you're not (p. 113).'"
"Ryan had told her everything as quickly and succinctly as he could. It had felt good to get it all out, but the more he talked, the more ridiculous the whole thing sounded. When he mentioned how Ernest thought his late grandfather's attic was magically telling him to give things to people, he'd been sure she was going to pop him in the nose again (p. 115)."
"She found out about this condition where your eyes don't work together when you try to read. So we had Seth's vision tested and now we know what the problem is. And the best part is that it's completely fixable. Seth has to wear funny glasses to read now... but he's reading. He's really reading (p. 128)."
"Ernest had a strange knack for asserting his will. May of the wishes were just ridiculous, outrageous requests... a pet lion... Bigfoot... But some of the wishes were really serious. One boy was worried about his older sister... Another kid... came to Thompkins Well to make a wish for her cousin, a soldier who had served in Afghanistan... He'd been home about a month now and he was having trouble readjusting (p. 134)."
"This was the usual routine; the three of them would go into the well during the week, and then Ernest would search the attic for 'inspiration (p. 136).'"
"Something strange was going on in Cliffs Donnelly. Things around town were getting better, or at least feeling better. People seemed happier, upbeat (p. 136)."
"If he just took all the toys out of the attic, then things would eventually sort themselves out like they were meant to (p. 138)."
"'When in doubt, the harder choice is usually the right one (p. 139).'"
"Ernest, Jack here was Rollo's best friend. If you really want to hear stories about Rollo, he's your man (p. 144).'"
"'Wait, you're saying this poor guy died because he hid the diamond in the wrong stuffed animal (p. 167)?'"
"'He sacrificed himself to protect his family (p. 168).'"
"'In our day people used to throw coins in the old Thompkins Well and make wishes.'... 'You don't say (p. 169).'"
"It bothered him that the adults were making this decision for him and not with him, especially since he was the one who had found the sock monkey in the first place and hand delivered it, along with the Holyoke Red Diamond, right to them (p. 170)."
"It had been a great day, a magical day. what else could you call it? A diamond hidden inside a sock monkey, an amazing story with thieves and killers and a father who gave up his own life to save his family--this day had everything (p. 173)."
"The forgotten old landmark was now the talk of the town (p. 177)."
"Living alone at the age of six is not a good thing for a kid. Tommy was lonely in a way that most people could never begin to grasp. He kept the TV on a lot, even when he wasn't watching it. The voices filled some of the empty space in the house (p. 179)."
"'He wants you to pick him up... He likes you (p. 185).'"
"'Have any of you kids ever made any wishes at Thompkins Well?' She may as well have just said, Simon says everybody raise your hand and start talking all at once (p. 189)."
"'We make our own happy endings, right (p. 191)?'"
"'Mrs. Haemmerle wasn't alone. She had you. She always had you... The sound of you taking care of her. She did not die alone, Ryan. You were with her (p. 199).'"
"Andrea was an investigative reporter. Her specialties were takedown stories, attack pieces that fed on the audience's suspicions and fears (p. 205)."
"'All that really matters is what the whole town is going to think (p. 215).'"
"For now, he could only do two things: Promise himself never to let fear control him like that again, and figure out how to protect his friends, even if they didn't want to be his friends anymore. Otherwise, all those wishes would be undone. Every good thing that had happened these last couple of months would unravel... And this town would be worse off than before... The only way to stop Andrea Chase from controlling this story... was to control it himself (p. 218)."
"When everyone expects the worst form you, sooner or later you're going to give it to them (p. 227)."
"It didn't matter. Nothing did anymore. Tommy was done hiding, done trying, done caring. Just done. He'd walk home in the cold and rain and if he got sick, if he got hit by a car, if his father was still home and beat him when he stepped through the door, so be it (p. 227)."
"'Talk to her. Let her hear your voice. Just... be with her (p. 239).'"
"The problem with dramatic exits is that they happen so quickly a person rarely stops to consider the weather (p. 254)."
"'It's not what they call you; its what you answer to (p. 256).'"
"Rollo. This whole thing had started sixty years ago because a sweet kid with a big heart died. What if that's how this story ends, too (p. 262)?"
"It didn't matter if he was afraid. What mattered was putting the fear in its place (p. 263)."
"Ryan gave Lizzy a quick rundown on the last few hours--Andrea Chase arrested, Ernest upstairs with a broken arm, secrets safe, cave completely covered in landslide, and Thompkins Well destroyed--and promised a fuller account in good time (p. 272)."
"The Wilmette family was putting up their own money, their own house, even, to save the factory and, to no small degree, the town, people responded... lots of other people Ernest didn't even know. People who had wishes. Or people who just had hope (p. 286)."
"'I've already told you once I thought you were pretty... I mean it. You are pretty. Really pretty. And not just because of all this... Lizzy, you are pretty all the way through (p. 289).'"
"The strongest friendships are often based on the little things (p. 292)."
"It wasn't something anyone expected, but sometimes things just take on a life of their own (p. 296)."
"'Stories bind us together; they connect us. Our stories are a shared history, a way to relate to each other. Even if they are make-believe (p. 298).'"
"For every wish he knew about, there must have been dozens that he didn't... You can't fix the world. But you do your best in your own little corner of it. And you hope (p. 300)."
"Welcome to Cliffs Donnelly, Ohio
Population: Us (p. 305)."
Here are some favorite quotes:
"Nothing ever seemed to bother Ernest. And that was what bothered Ryan (p. 9)."
"Like with Grandpa Eddie's illness, they didn't talk about serious things around Ernest, and it bothered him. It was like riding in the back seat in the car, but worse. It was like he was riding in the back seat of his own family (p. 10)."
"Try as she might, Lizzy couldn't stop replaying the horrible encounter over in her mind, the attention to detail that served her so well in school now providing achingly perfect recall of every agonizing moment (p. 17)."
"If only. It was fast becoming the town's nickname. Because there was always another factory closing down, another business moving away, more people out of work, making the town a bit emptier than it was before (p. 21)."
"Parents always tell their kids to stand up for themselves, but they never mean for their kids to do it with them (p. 25)."
"Maybe it, too, was a piece of something, and... it just needed to be matched with other pieces. New pieces. And then things would start working again (p. 27)."
"Some days he said he was Irish Dominican, other days Polish Colombian or Welsh Kenyan or Creole Hawaiian. Ryan suspected these different ancestries were 'teachable moments' meant to subtly suggest that they were all Americans, and it shouldn't matter, anyway. Though maybe he was able trying to trick his students into looking at a map or a globe once in a while (p. 30)."
"Council Days were designed for kids to get the chance to air out their opinions on various issues. Teachers were encouraged to give each week a special topic--bullying, peer pressure, stress--but Mr. Earle went for a less direct approach. He knew that if you got kids talking, the rest would take care of itself, but that if you tried to manipulate the conversation, the kids would invariably clam up (p. 31)."
"Ryan loved playing football. Because when Ryan played football, he forgot about everything else. School, chores, a baby brother who hated him, and Mrs. Haemmerle's piece-of-junk lawn mower (p. 38)."
"Adults always say to stand up to bullies. They implication being that if you stand up to a bully, the bully will back down (p. 40)."
"Her mom always did the right thing. But her mom was alone. Her mom cried in her bedroom. If that's what doing the right thing got you, Lizzy couldn't help but wonder, then what was the point (p. 44)?"
"Here they were. Cliffs Donnelly, Ohio. Winston's father called it the heartland. His mother called it the middle of nowhere (p. 49)."
"Ryan, a kid who was only slightly less surly and disagreeable than Tommy, had come out of nowhere to stick up for Ernest (p. 59)."
"Ernest couldn't simply forget about what Winston had said at the well. Maybe you couldn't become somebody's friend just because they needed one. But what if you could?... Maybe he could show [the art set] to Winston at lunch to break the ice. Ernest was awful at art. He could ask Winston for pointers or something. It wasn't a terrible idea (p. 68)."
"Tommy didn't enjoy people being afraid of him. It wasn't fun, and it didn't make him feel good. But it felt better than having people look down on him. Or feel sorry for him. Nothing was worse than that... At first he'd thought Wilmette was looking down on him, but it wasn't that. It was more complicated, like he had looked inside Tommy, had seen who he really was (p. 71)."
"'You can't fix other people's problems. It just makes things worse (p. 83).'"
"At first the pairing was viewed with skepticism. But it was soon clear to everyone that these kids were, inexplicably but genuinely, becoming friends (p. 86)."
"Aaron and Jamie naturally assumed that Winston had wished for Tommy to stop bullying him. So the fact that the very next day Tommy had not only stopped but had become his new best friend? That got kids talking. Maybe Thompkins Well was more than a legend. Maybe it really was magic (p. 87)."
"Lizzy MacComber did not believe in wishing wells. But you don't have to believe in wishes to make one (p. 87)."
"When a person considers what they would wish for, it can teach them a little something about themselves. Something a person may not want to learn (p. 88)."
"'I wish I knew how to be pretty (p. 95).'"
"'I wish I knew how to help (p. 97).'"
"'We can help. We have a responsibility to help (p. 98).'"
"'Well, I'm pretty smart. Maybe not Lizzy MacComber smart, but I get good grades and all that. So, I'm thinking I can give some of my smarts to my little brother, to help him. To even things out a bit. That sounds fair, doesn't it?'... She'd do anything to help her little brother (p. 98)."
"'He had what they called an oversized heart. It's the kind of condition that's very treatable today, but back then... his heart just got too big. He went to sleep and never woke up (p. 107).'"
"'Shocking, I know... Me and complications.'... 'So, did you find something in the attic (p. 109)?'"
"'I said, you are pretty. And I don't get why you think you're not (p. 113).'"
"Ryan had told her everything as quickly and succinctly as he could. It had felt good to get it all out, but the more he talked, the more ridiculous the whole thing sounded. When he mentioned how Ernest thought his late grandfather's attic was magically telling him to give things to people, he'd been sure she was going to pop him in the nose again (p. 115)."
"She found out about this condition where your eyes don't work together when you try to read. So we had Seth's vision tested and now we know what the problem is. And the best part is that it's completely fixable. Seth has to wear funny glasses to read now... but he's reading. He's really reading (p. 128)."
"Ernest had a strange knack for asserting his will. May of the wishes were just ridiculous, outrageous requests... a pet lion... Bigfoot... But some of the wishes were really serious. One boy was worried about his older sister... Another kid... came to Thompkins Well to make a wish for her cousin, a soldier who had served in Afghanistan... He'd been home about a month now and he was having trouble readjusting (p. 134)."
"This was the usual routine; the three of them would go into the well during the week, and then Ernest would search the attic for 'inspiration (p. 136).'"
"Something strange was going on in Cliffs Donnelly. Things around town were getting better, or at least feeling better. People seemed happier, upbeat (p. 136)."
"If he just took all the toys out of the attic, then things would eventually sort themselves out like they were meant to (p. 138)."
"'When in doubt, the harder choice is usually the right one (p. 139).'"
"Ernest, Jack here was Rollo's best friend. If you really want to hear stories about Rollo, he's your man (p. 144).'"
"'Wait, you're saying this poor guy died because he hid the diamond in the wrong stuffed animal (p. 167)?'"
"'He sacrificed himself to protect his family (p. 168).'"
"'In our day people used to throw coins in the old Thompkins Well and make wishes.'... 'You don't say (p. 169).'"
"It bothered him that the adults were making this decision for him and not with him, especially since he was the one who had found the sock monkey in the first place and hand delivered it, along with the Holyoke Red Diamond, right to them (p. 170)."
"It had been a great day, a magical day. what else could you call it? A diamond hidden inside a sock monkey, an amazing story with thieves and killers and a father who gave up his own life to save his family--this day had everything (p. 173)."
"The forgotten old landmark was now the talk of the town (p. 177)."
"Living alone at the age of six is not a good thing for a kid. Tommy was lonely in a way that most people could never begin to grasp. He kept the TV on a lot, even when he wasn't watching it. The voices filled some of the empty space in the house (p. 179)."
"'He wants you to pick him up... He likes you (p. 185).'"
"'Have any of you kids ever made any wishes at Thompkins Well?' She may as well have just said, Simon says everybody raise your hand and start talking all at once (p. 189)."
"'We make our own happy endings, right (p. 191)?'"
"'Mrs. Haemmerle wasn't alone. She had you. She always had you... The sound of you taking care of her. She did not die alone, Ryan. You were with her (p. 199).'"
"Andrea was an investigative reporter. Her specialties were takedown stories, attack pieces that fed on the audience's suspicions and fears (p. 205)."
"'All that really matters is what the whole town is going to think (p. 215).'"
"For now, he could only do two things: Promise himself never to let fear control him like that again, and figure out how to protect his friends, even if they didn't want to be his friends anymore. Otherwise, all those wishes would be undone. Every good thing that had happened these last couple of months would unravel... And this town would be worse off than before... The only way to stop Andrea Chase from controlling this story... was to control it himself (p. 218)."
"When everyone expects the worst form you, sooner or later you're going to give it to them (p. 227)."
"It didn't matter. Nothing did anymore. Tommy was done hiding, done trying, done caring. Just done. He'd walk home in the cold and rain and if he got sick, if he got hit by a car, if his father was still home and beat him when he stepped through the door, so be it (p. 227)."
"'Talk to her. Let her hear your voice. Just... be with her (p. 239).'"
"The problem with dramatic exits is that they happen so quickly a person rarely stops to consider the weather (p. 254)."
"'It's not what they call you; its what you answer to (p. 256).'"
"Rollo. This whole thing had started sixty years ago because a sweet kid with a big heart died. What if that's how this story ends, too (p. 262)?"
"It didn't matter if he was afraid. What mattered was putting the fear in its place (p. 263)."
"Ryan gave Lizzy a quick rundown on the last few hours--Andrea Chase arrested, Ernest upstairs with a broken arm, secrets safe, cave completely covered in landslide, and Thompkins Well destroyed--and promised a fuller account in good time (p. 272)."
"The Wilmette family was putting up their own money, their own house, even, to save the factory and, to no small degree, the town, people responded... lots of other people Ernest didn't even know. People who had wishes. Or people who just had hope (p. 286)."
"'I've already told you once I thought you were pretty... I mean it. You are pretty. Really pretty. And not just because of all this... Lizzy, you are pretty all the way through (p. 289).'"
"The strongest friendships are often based on the little things (p. 292)."
"It wasn't something anyone expected, but sometimes things just take on a life of their own (p. 296)."
"'Stories bind us together; they connect us. Our stories are a shared history, a way to relate to each other. Even if they are make-believe (p. 298).'"
"For every wish he knew about, there must have been dozens that he didn't... You can't fix the world. But you do your best in your own little corner of it. And you hope (p. 300)."
"Welcome to Cliffs Donnelly, Ohio
Population: Us (p. 305)."
February 10, 2020
I've read so many kids books now that I get bored easily. I'm always looking for something different, fresh, better. A Drop of Hope has elements that you find in so many books. Bullying. Crappy parents. New kid. Small kid. Promises. But they are rearranged, retold, interrelated, and expanded in such a way that it's something entirely new altogether.
This is a book told in alternating perspectives. It isn't like Buyea where there are 5 kids, each having their own chapters to tell their side. This one has many, and I mean many, points of view. Some of the characters get just 1 or 2 pages to have their say and then they're done. It's hard to explain the effect of this. I personally loved it because it allows you to see that everyone's life is impacted by many other lives. It's not just the 4 or 5 people who you see every day. It's a big web of interaction. I tip my hat to Calabrese for pulling it off. It can't be easy to write the parts of so many meaningful characters.
The story begins with two main characters. Ernest fulfills a promise to his deceased grandfather to go into his attic. He does, not really knowing what he is supposed to do, and brings out an old, unused art set. Ryan mows the grass for a sweet old lady across the street, but never takes payment for it. Then the strange weaving begins. Winston, an artistic boy with Indian heritage, is bullied by Tommy. Ernest, the smallest kid in school, steps in to defend Winston. Ryan sees Ernest about to get pummeled and steps in to defend him since his dad works for Ernest's dad. Lizzy gets help so the fight never happens, but Tommy is waiting after school. Ernest and Ryan take a detour through the nature preserve and end up in a cave under the town's famous wishing well. They unintentionally hear the stories of several kids who come to make their wishes known. Ernest feels he is now responsible to help these wishes come true. And he does. Inadvertently. One by one, the items he brings out of his grandfather's attic somehow ends up in just the right place to cause a wish to be answered.
I really can't do this book justice. So many characters. All important to the big picture. My fear when I read a book like this is that the author is not going to get the recognition their talent deserves. So much junk out there that gets recognized again and again. This is what real talent looks like. When it's all said and done, he leaves you with much to ponder.
This is a book told in alternating perspectives. It isn't like Buyea where there are 5 kids, each having their own chapters to tell their side. This one has many, and I mean many, points of view. Some of the characters get just 1 or 2 pages to have their say and then they're done. It's hard to explain the effect of this. I personally loved it because it allows you to see that everyone's life is impacted by many other lives. It's not just the 4 or 5 people who you see every day. It's a big web of interaction. I tip my hat to Calabrese for pulling it off. It can't be easy to write the parts of so many meaningful characters.
The story begins with two main characters. Ernest fulfills a promise to his deceased grandfather to go into his attic. He does, not really knowing what he is supposed to do, and brings out an old, unused art set. Ryan mows the grass for a sweet old lady across the street, but never takes payment for it. Then the strange weaving begins. Winston, an artistic boy with Indian heritage, is bullied by Tommy. Ernest, the smallest kid in school, steps in to defend Winston. Ryan sees Ernest about to get pummeled and steps in to defend him since his dad works for Ernest's dad. Lizzy gets help so the fight never happens, but Tommy is waiting after school. Ernest and Ryan take a detour through the nature preserve and end up in a cave under the town's famous wishing well. They unintentionally hear the stories of several kids who come to make their wishes known. Ernest feels he is now responsible to help these wishes come true. And he does. Inadvertently. One by one, the items he brings out of his grandfather's attic somehow ends up in just the right place to cause a wish to be answered.
I really can't do this book justice. So many characters. All important to the big picture. My fear when I read a book like this is that the author is not going to get the recognition their talent deserves. So much junk out there that gets recognized again and again. This is what real talent looks like. When it's all said and done, he leaves you with much to ponder.
March 21, 2020
This is exactly the kind of book I needed to read during this pandemic and social distancing. This book is powerful. Teaching us that a little kindness goes a long way. This book also shows empathy which we can improve upon within our lives being kind towards others and doing good deeds.
“You can’t fix the world. But you do your best in your own little corner of it.”
Middle schoolers from different backgrounds and beliefs are thrown together in school. Calabrese shows us how life gives opportunities that can’t always be explained. Life is a mystery.
“…Stories bind us together, they connect us. Out stories are a shared history, a way to relate to each other…”
“You can’t fix the world. But you do your best in your own little corner of it.”
Middle schoolers from different backgrounds and beliefs are thrown together in school. Calabrese shows us how life gives opportunities that can’t always be explained. Life is a mystery.
“…Stories bind us together, they connect us. Out stories are a shared history, a way to relate to each other…”
September 20, 2019
A Drop of Hope is a sweet story about the small town of Cliffs Donnelly, Ohio (although someone has vandalized the sign leading into the town so that it reads: If Only, Ohio). Cliffs Donnelly, like so many other small towns in the U.S., is barely surviving; the factory that employs many of the inhabitants is in danger of closing and times are hard for almost everyone. In a lesson about folklore Mr. Earle, the 6th Grade teacher, tells his students of an old town legend about the well in the North Side Park: Ezekiel Thompkins, tossed in a coin and wished to exchange his health for the terrible illness afflicting his infant grandson. Because the child lived and Ezekiel died that night, the "Thompkins" well acquired a somewhat mythical reputation for miracles. Ernest, Ryan and Lizzy are sixth graders with very different backgrounds whose lives intertwine with each other and the legend of the Thompkins Well to affect changes, large and small, in their beleaguered town. What results is a string of miracles...or coincidences...or hoaxes--depending on your perspective.
The pessimistic, grumpy side of me wants to be cynical about this story--but I can't. The title--A Drop of Hope--is actually a fitting description of the story, itself. It is a collection of acts of kindness and compassion in the face of anger and fear, which seems an apt metaphor for much of what is happening around us in the world at the present. A Drop of Hope is a little bit like a pointillist painting: close up the various intersecting lives and plethora of coincidences seem awkward and improbable, but if you alter your perspective to one farther away, you begin to see patterns and purpose that lend these characters and their lives a remarkable genuineness.
Having said that, I will say that the structure of the story sometimes makes it hard to follow. The chapters are broken up into short vignettes--which is a great idea to help readers move quickly through the story, but the viewpoint changes so often among so many different characters that some get lost in the overarching concept of the story. Ernest and Ryan--and to some extent, Lizzy--are distinctly formed three-dimensional characters and their individual storylines are easy to track. It is a struggle to keep track of all the secondary (and tertiary) characters whose brief stories are interspersed with our main three characters. Sometimes I would have to flip back and forth to remember who a character was when he or she appeared a second time.
All in all, A Drop of Hope is a feel-good read in all the best ways. It was a 3.5/5 star read for me. If the somewhat disjointed structure and vast number of characters doesn't really bother you, it makes a great independent or read-aloud choice for middle grade readers.
The pessimistic, grumpy side of me wants to be cynical about this story--but I can't. The title--A Drop of Hope--is actually a fitting description of the story, itself. It is a collection of acts of kindness and compassion in the face of anger and fear, which seems an apt metaphor for much of what is happening around us in the world at the present. A Drop of Hope is a little bit like a pointillist painting: close up the various intersecting lives and plethora of coincidences seem awkward and improbable, but if you alter your perspective to one farther away, you begin to see patterns and purpose that lend these characters and their lives a remarkable genuineness.
Having said that, I will say that the structure of the story sometimes makes it hard to follow. The chapters are broken up into short vignettes--which is a great idea to help readers move quickly through the story, but the viewpoint changes so often among so many different characters that some get lost in the overarching concept of the story. Ernest and Ryan--and to some extent, Lizzy--are distinctly formed three-dimensional characters and their individual storylines are easy to track. It is a struggle to keep track of all the secondary (and tertiary) characters whose brief stories are interspersed with our main three characters. Sometimes I would have to flip back and forth to remember who a character was when he or she appeared a second time.
All in all, A Drop of Hope is a feel-good read in all the best ways. It was a 3.5/5 star read for me. If the somewhat disjointed structure and vast number of characters doesn't really bother you, it makes a great independent or read-aloud choice for middle grade readers.
April 24, 2020
Precious & HOPEful story...perfect timing. I only read this book because my school’s English department wanted to do a Zoom-recorded read aloud for our students during the stay-at-home-COVID 19-pandemic, changing staff readers every few chapters. I read aloud 3 & 4. Fell in love with the creative and original story.
July 27, 2020
This book was unexpectedly fun to read. I usually don't like realistic fiction, but the story was so captivating. I liked how the different character's perspectives contrasted, and the backstories of why they are who they are.
The ending ties everything together and is very heartwarming. Every action causes justice to be served and hope to be brought into the world of Cliffs Donnelly.
The ending ties everything together and is very heartwarming. Every action causes justice to be served and hope to be brought into the world of Cliffs Donnelly.
August 19, 2019
A true “feel-good” family read! Loved it!
September 24, 2021
ryan and lizzy are such good friends I just cant believe it its so good I think lizzy and ryan like eachother.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 15, 2024
Cute idea and message. Pretty meh overall.
June 2, 2019
Yes, it's both fantasy and realistic fiction.
Love the way the stories are interwoven, and the short chapters that move forward and backward in time. Lots of characters, lots of story lines to keep track of. Great for read aloud.
Two quotes, "Stories bind us together; they connect us. Our stories are a shared history, a way to relate to each other. Even if they are make-believe."
"You can't fix the world. But you do your best in your own little corner of it."
Big truths.
Love the way the stories are interwoven, and the short chapters that move forward and backward in time. Lots of characters, lots of story lines to keep track of. Great for read aloud.
Two quotes, "Stories bind us together; they connect us. Our stories are a shared history, a way to relate to each other. Even if they are make-believe."
"You can't fix the world. But you do your best in your own little corner of it."
Big truths.
November 27, 2019
A wonderful tale, equivalent to a fully fleshed-out Twilight Zone! (There's even a nod to the series in that the school they attend is Rod Serling Middle School.) The town of Cliffs Donnelly is a perfect backdrop for this small-town Americana tale, rife with anecdotes of the various inhabitants of the town and its previous generations as well. Thompson's well itself is practically a character! Does said well actually hold supernatural powers, and what about the mysterious items left behind in Grandpa's attic? Quite endearing, with threads of mystery and intrigue skillfully woven throughout. Definitely recommending to my students.
February 17, 2019
Thank you to @scholasticinc and @kidlitexchange for sharing a review copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
All the stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️for this unforgettable MG book!! This heart print story reminds us that the small kindnesses we encounter everyday make our lives worth living. You’ll also read about friendship and caring teachers, as you begin to understand the struggles and repercussions suffered by a small midwestern town when their factories close one by one until there is only one left. You’ll begin to understand how this stress affects everyone, adults and children, in so many ways. But most of all, you’ll read about how a small kindness can blossom into so much more; how it can lead to another and another. And you will wonder, could this really happen or is it just a story?
💫
There are so many unforgettable characters in this book, beginning with Mr. Earle, the teacher who inspires them with his stories and sees the best in all of his students, no matter their background or past history. Then there are the students, including the school bully, who are so much more than they appear to be. And finally there are their parents, who like their children, have many different stories of their own. But, they all have something in common. Everyone has lost faith in their town and their community. That is until Mr. Earle shares the story about the town’s magical wishing well. It’s the well in the local park that is rumored to grant impossible wishes to all who visit. 💫
This is a book I couldn’t put down. Although I began reading it on a busy day, I found myself picking it up whenever I had a free moment. I didn’t want it to end. It was fascinating to read about the interconnectedness of the wishes, and the ripples of hope and kindness each created. I wanted to understand and believe the magic of each story. I was rooting for everyone’s wish, because that’s who I am. I am ever hopeful that the best will happen. And the best isn’t to win a million dollars or a fancy sports car, but for people’s wishes for others to come true.
I’m going to be thinking about this story for a long time. In fact, I’m ready to sit down and read it again, but instead I will be sending it on to @pnwreader for our next @kidlitexchange review. Reviewers, if you haven’t signed up for A DROP OF HOPE, I highly recommend that you do. You’ll be so glad you did! And everyone else, be sure and add this to your TBR list NOW!!
All the stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️for this unforgettable MG book!! This heart print story reminds us that the small kindnesses we encounter everyday make our lives worth living. You’ll also read about friendship and caring teachers, as you begin to understand the struggles and repercussions suffered by a small midwestern town when their factories close one by one until there is only one left. You’ll begin to understand how this stress affects everyone, adults and children, in so many ways. But most of all, you’ll read about how a small kindness can blossom into so much more; how it can lead to another and another. And you will wonder, could this really happen or is it just a story?
💫
There are so many unforgettable characters in this book, beginning with Mr. Earle, the teacher who inspires them with his stories and sees the best in all of his students, no matter their background or past history. Then there are the students, including the school bully, who are so much more than they appear to be. And finally there are their parents, who like their children, have many different stories of their own. But, they all have something in common. Everyone has lost faith in their town and their community. That is until Mr. Earle shares the story about the town’s magical wishing well. It’s the well in the local park that is rumored to grant impossible wishes to all who visit. 💫
This is a book I couldn’t put down. Although I began reading it on a busy day, I found myself picking it up whenever I had a free moment. I didn’t want it to end. It was fascinating to read about the interconnectedness of the wishes, and the ripples of hope and kindness each created. I wanted to understand and believe the magic of each story. I was rooting for everyone’s wish, because that’s who I am. I am ever hopeful that the best will happen. And the best isn’t to win a million dollars or a fancy sports car, but for people’s wishes for others to come true.
I’m going to be thinking about this story for a long time. In fact, I’m ready to sit down and read it again, but instead I will be sending it on to @pnwreader for our next @kidlitexchange review. Reviewers, if you haven’t signed up for A DROP OF HOPE, I highly recommend that you do. You’ll be so glad you did! And everyone else, be sure and add this to your TBR list NOW!!
February 15, 2019
This is an upbeat, mostly fun (as you might suspect from the title) book that looks at a community through several middle schoolers' experiences. The story is well-told and easy to follow. I kept wondering, as I read it, how the author slipped in scenes from peripheral characters that enhanced the plot without disrupting the flow of the narrative or the connection with the main characters, then I read the author description on the back cover and found out that he is a screenwriter so no wonder the strategy worked so well-just like in the movies.
I was reminded of the Newbery winner 'Hello, Universe' because the tropes of the characters were similar, especially the 'bully' character although this book goes into more backstory on him. The home situation that the bully comes from is dismal and includes neglect and abuse such that one has to really stretch to see as a hopeful situation at the book's close; I do have a bias about this because I am a child psychiatrist and have seen so many of these circumstances without feeling that there was much hope there. The abuse is quite graphic in a way that a middle grade book is usually not.
Still, I would recommend it to most kids with the caveat that there is content that a parent may need to help their child with, perhaps by talking about how some children/people endure difficult experiences and survive with the support of a caring community.
I was reminded of the Newbery winner 'Hello, Universe' because the tropes of the characters were similar, especially the 'bully' character although this book goes into more backstory on him. The home situation that the bully comes from is dismal and includes neglect and abuse such that one has to really stretch to see as a hopeful situation at the book's close; I do have a bias about this because I am a child psychiatrist and have seen so many of these circumstances without feeling that there was much hope there. The abuse is quite graphic in a way that a middle grade book is usually not.
Still, I would recommend it to most kids with the caveat that there is content that a parent may need to help their child with, perhaps by talking about how some children/people endure difficult experiences and survive with the support of a caring community.
April 11, 2021
I wish I could give this book five stars. It's sweet and fun and hopeful. A group of friends work together to try to grant people's wishes, and though they never manage to work things out the way they expect, their trying ends up mattering more than the details of how things work out after all.
If I hadn't read this with my daughter, I might have automatically given this five stars and might not have noticed how much the female characters' story arcs suck compared to everyone else's. Lizzy is the main girl, and her primary dilemma is that she is worried she's not pretty enough. By the end of the book she realizes being pretty isn't what she cares about (though someone does confirm for her that she is, in fact, pretty). Ugh.
Her mom's story arc is that she's sad over her divorce, and even though we do learn (though no one points it out directly) that she's awesome at her job and extremely well respected there, we're not supposed to feel happy for her until we find out she does in fact have a new boyfriend.
None of the male characters' storylines revolve around physical beauty or romantic relationships. Just the primary female characters. A disappointing layer in what is otherwise a really excellent book. I especially love how much the main teacher cares about his students. Maybe if Lizzy's and Ernest's storylines had been swapped, my daughter and I wouldn't have been so frustrated.
If I hadn't read this with my daughter, I might have automatically given this five stars and might not have noticed how much the female characters' story arcs suck compared to everyone else's. Lizzy is the main girl, and her primary dilemma is that she is worried she's not pretty enough. By the end of the book she realizes being pretty isn't what she cares about (though someone does confirm for her that she is, in fact, pretty). Ugh.
Her mom's story arc is that she's sad over her divorce, and even though we do learn (though no one points it out directly) that she's awesome at her job and extremely well respected there, we're not supposed to feel happy for her until we find out she does in fact have a new boyfriend.
None of the male characters' storylines revolve around physical beauty or romantic relationships. Just the primary female characters. A disappointing layer in what is otherwise a really excellent book. I especially love how much the main teacher cares about his students. Maybe if Lizzy's and Ernest's storylines had been swapped, my daughter and I wouldn't have been so frustrated.
November 7, 2019
A Drop of Hope by Keith Calabrese, 305 pages. Scholastic Press (Scholastic Inc), 2019. $16.99
Language: PG (1 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: PG; Violence: G
BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS – ESSENTIAL
AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH
The people of Cliffs Donnelly have fallen upon hard times—illness, friendships, job security, stress, family issues, you name it and someone is struggling with it. As everyone struggles with their own problems and insecurities, three sixth graders end up in the middle of it all. When these kids find a secret spot near the town’s magic wishing well, amazing things start happening and maybe everything will turn out alright.
This book is the definition of heart-warming. Readers are reminded that we all have issues, and the hope is found in reaching out; if everyone simply reaches out with the intention to help some else, then, collectively, we are able to do more than we can alone. Burdens are lighter when they are shared between family members, friends, student and teacher, neighbors, even someone sitting by themselves at lunch. While this book is geared toward a younger audience, I recommend this book to everyone.
Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen
https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2019...
Language: PG (1 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: PG; Violence: G
BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS – ESSENTIAL
AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH
The people of Cliffs Donnelly have fallen upon hard times—illness, friendships, job security, stress, family issues, you name it and someone is struggling with it. As everyone struggles with their own problems and insecurities, three sixth graders end up in the middle of it all. When these kids find a secret spot near the town’s magic wishing well, amazing things start happening and maybe everything will turn out alright.
This book is the definition of heart-warming. Readers are reminded that we all have issues, and the hope is found in reaching out; if everyone simply reaches out with the intention to help some else, then, collectively, we are able to do more than we can alone. Burdens are lighter when they are shared between family members, friends, student and teacher, neighbors, even someone sitting by themselves at lunch. While this book is geared toward a younger audience, I recommend this book to everyone.
Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen
https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2019...
October 17, 2019
We are reading "A Drop of Hope" by Keith Calabrese this month for Chapter and Verse Book Club as a possible contender for the Newbery Medal. This lovely book definitely has many of the qualities of a Newbery contender.
Teacher extraordinaire, Mr. Earle, discusses folklore ("the collected myths or stories of a particular area" - p. 31) with his sixth grade students. In the course of this wonderful discussion, he tells them about the local (the story takes place in the small town of Cliffs Donnelly) legend of Thompkins Well. He says, "'the legend dates back to the early 1800's. A local merchant named Ezekiel Thompkins went to the well and threw in a coin. His infant grandson was very sick and wasn't expected to live through the night. The old man wished for death to take him instead and spare the child. He then went home and died that night in his sleep. The baby recovered and the legend of Thomskins Well was born.'" (p. 35) This sparks his students' interest and gets them talking and thinking. Soon after, two of his students (Ernest and Ryan) accidentally stumble upon a cave that ends up leading them to the bottom of Thompkins Well. While exploring the cave, the two intercept the wishes of several classmates, and eventually members of the community. With the help of items Ernest finds in the attic that his grandfather asked him, before he died, to clean out, he is determined to grant the wishes he has intercepted. We learn from these beautiful children about "...the enduring power (not to mention cumulative effect) of small kindnesses." (from the Acknowledgements)
Things that stood out for me:
1. Calabrese does not dumb down anything for his intended readers. The language is very sophisticated and will challenge some readers. The book reminiscent of the writing of Kate DiCamillo in this regard. And, like DiCamillo, Calabrese uses stunning, just right language and imagery.
- an example of the sophisticated language found in the novel (p. 16), "Lizzy certainly didn't want to be anyone's project, and she realized that the whole idea was really just a thinly veiled way for her aunt and cousin to openly pick her apart in the guise of constructive criticism."
- readers will find terms like "xenophobia," "itinerant," "pulverized," "conviction," "irony," "metaphor," "deluge," "liberated," "surly," "switchbacking," "gauge," "pummeling," "unison," "subjugated," "doppelganger," "mortgage," "riveted,""deflated," "precarious," "repulsive," "shrewd,""resolved," "conspiratorial," "debunk," "scapegoat," "converged," and "notoriously"(many of these terms are explicitly defined within the text and can easily be figured out through context)
2. The reader needs to pay close attention to all of the threads and connections here. However, Calabrese handles this masterfully in the book. Every single loose end is tied up by the book's end. The book is a wonderful mix of realistic fiction, mystery, and (for you to decide) magic!
3. The author develops MANY nuanced, interesting, diverse characters. The three protagonists, in particular, have interesting story arcs. Each of them has his or her OWN secrets and worries, yet they work to help others. The reader sees that there is so much more to an individual than what we see on the surface.
4. There are so many wonderful and unique themes here, most importantly, the idea of our interconnectedness. Even the smallest of actions can have far-reaching consequences. I like to believe that if our actions are coupled with good intent, those consequences will be positive, even life changing. They certainly were in "A Drop of Hope." Other themes of note:
-loss
- openness and honesty
- dreams
- regret - the town is nicknamed "If Only" symbolized by a decaying road sign
- the decay of industry and related jobs in the United Stated
- fear
- classism
- bullying - "Adults always say to stand up to bullies. The implication being that if you stand up to a bully, the bully will back down. Ernest thought about this morning's Council and realized now that this, too was a fairy tale of a kind. You don't stand up to a bully to mane him back down. You stand up to him because, maybe, if you're lucky, he'll decide that beating you up is too much hassle and move on to someone else. You stand up to him because it's worse not to. Which is a different truth entirely." (p. 40)
- fitting in
- anger
- child abuse
- the feeling of being looked down upon
- feeling sorry for others
- expectations - "When everyone expects the worst from you, sooner or later you're going to give it to them." (p. 71)
- abandonment
- escape
- wishes - "When a person considers what they would wish for, it can teach them a little something about themselves. Something a person may not want to learn." (p. 88)
- being unkind to others - "...when you hear people say something unkind about you enough times, even though you know it's not true, you still have a hard time not believing it." (p. 88) - "'It's not what they call you; it's what you answer to.'" (p. 256)
- helping others - "...when you save a person's life, you then become responsible for that life..." (p. 93)
- physical beauty versus internal beauty
- mistakes - "There's a special moment that everyone experiences from time to time. A brief instant when you realize, too late to stop it, that you're in the process of making a really stupid mistake." (p. 113)
- "Magic! Magic, magic, magic!" (p. 131)
- PTSD
- "'When in doubt, the harder choice is usually the right one.'" (p. 139)
- resilience
- the importance of adult role models
- yellow journalism versus the truth (so timely) - "'Truth?...There is no truth. There's just the story: The story that people hear first, the story they hear most, and the story they like best. If you can get two out of those three to be your story, that becomes the truth.'" (p. 224)
- "...the strongest friendships are often based on the little things." (p. 292)
- activism
- miracles
* "Stories bind us together; they connect us. Out stories are a shared history, a way to relate to each other. Even if they are make-believe." (p. 298)
- "You can't fix the world. But you do your best in your own little corner of it. And you hope." (p. 301)
Highly recommended, especially for smart, precocious readers! Grades 4 up through adults!
Teacher extraordinaire, Mr. Earle, discusses folklore ("the collected myths or stories of a particular area" - p. 31) with his sixth grade students. In the course of this wonderful discussion, he tells them about the local (the story takes place in the small town of Cliffs Donnelly) legend of Thompkins Well. He says, "'the legend dates back to the early 1800's. A local merchant named Ezekiel Thompkins went to the well and threw in a coin. His infant grandson was very sick and wasn't expected to live through the night. The old man wished for death to take him instead and spare the child. He then went home and died that night in his sleep. The baby recovered and the legend of Thomskins Well was born.'" (p. 35) This sparks his students' interest and gets them talking and thinking. Soon after, two of his students (Ernest and Ryan) accidentally stumble upon a cave that ends up leading them to the bottom of Thompkins Well. While exploring the cave, the two intercept the wishes of several classmates, and eventually members of the community. With the help of items Ernest finds in the attic that his grandfather asked him, before he died, to clean out, he is determined to grant the wishes he has intercepted. We learn from these beautiful children about "...the enduring power (not to mention cumulative effect) of small kindnesses." (from the Acknowledgements)
Things that stood out for me:
1. Calabrese does not dumb down anything for his intended readers. The language is very sophisticated and will challenge some readers. The book reminiscent of the writing of Kate DiCamillo in this regard. And, like DiCamillo, Calabrese uses stunning, just right language and imagery.
- an example of the sophisticated language found in the novel (p. 16), "Lizzy certainly didn't want to be anyone's project, and she realized that the whole idea was really just a thinly veiled way for her aunt and cousin to openly pick her apart in the guise of constructive criticism."
- readers will find terms like "xenophobia," "itinerant," "pulverized," "conviction," "irony," "metaphor," "deluge," "liberated," "surly," "switchbacking," "gauge," "pummeling," "unison," "subjugated," "doppelganger," "mortgage," "riveted,""deflated," "precarious," "repulsive," "shrewd,""resolved," "conspiratorial," "debunk," "scapegoat," "converged," and "notoriously"(many of these terms are explicitly defined within the text and can easily be figured out through context)
2. The reader needs to pay close attention to all of the threads and connections here. However, Calabrese handles this masterfully in the book. Every single loose end is tied up by the book's end. The book is a wonderful mix of realistic fiction, mystery, and (for you to decide) magic!
3. The author develops MANY nuanced, interesting, diverse characters. The three protagonists, in particular, have interesting story arcs. Each of them has his or her OWN secrets and worries, yet they work to help others. The reader sees that there is so much more to an individual than what we see on the surface.
4. There are so many wonderful and unique themes here, most importantly, the idea of our interconnectedness. Even the smallest of actions can have far-reaching consequences. I like to believe that if our actions are coupled with good intent, those consequences will be positive, even life changing. They certainly were in "A Drop of Hope." Other themes of note:
-loss
- openness and honesty
- dreams
- regret - the town is nicknamed "If Only" symbolized by a decaying road sign
- the decay of industry and related jobs in the United Stated
- fear
- classism
- bullying - "Adults always say to stand up to bullies. The implication being that if you stand up to a bully, the bully will back down. Ernest thought about this morning's Council and realized now that this, too was a fairy tale of a kind. You don't stand up to a bully to mane him back down. You stand up to him because, maybe, if you're lucky, he'll decide that beating you up is too much hassle and move on to someone else. You stand up to him because it's worse not to. Which is a different truth entirely." (p. 40)
- fitting in
- anger
- child abuse
- the feeling of being looked down upon
- feeling sorry for others
- expectations - "When everyone expects the worst from you, sooner or later you're going to give it to them." (p. 71)
- abandonment
- escape
- wishes - "When a person considers what they would wish for, it can teach them a little something about themselves. Something a person may not want to learn." (p. 88)
- being unkind to others - "...when you hear people say something unkind about you enough times, even though you know it's not true, you still have a hard time not believing it." (p. 88) - "'It's not what they call you; it's what you answer to.'" (p. 256)
- helping others - "...when you save a person's life, you then become responsible for that life..." (p. 93)
- physical beauty versus internal beauty
- mistakes - "There's a special moment that everyone experiences from time to time. A brief instant when you realize, too late to stop it, that you're in the process of making a really stupid mistake." (p. 113)
- "Magic! Magic, magic, magic!" (p. 131)
- PTSD
- "'When in doubt, the harder choice is usually the right one.'" (p. 139)
- resilience
- the importance of adult role models
- yellow journalism versus the truth (so timely) - "'Truth?...There is no truth. There's just the story: The story that people hear first, the story they hear most, and the story they like best. If you can get two out of those three to be your story, that becomes the truth.'" (p. 224)
- "...the strongest friendships are often based on the little things." (p. 292)
- activism
- miracles
* "Stories bind us together; they connect us. Out stories are a shared history, a way to relate to each other. Even if they are make-believe." (p. 298)
- "You can't fix the world. But you do your best in your own little corner of it. And you hope." (p. 301)
Highly recommended, especially for smart, precocious readers! Grades 4 up through adults!
November 10, 2019
Not a Newbery possible in my opinion.
A well. A wish. And a little drop of hope.
Times are tough. Jobs are scarce and miracles are not in the picture. Yes, something strange is happening in Small town, Ohio. An old well has suddenly, begun to grant wishes. And three sixth graders are the only ones who know why.
Ernest Wilmette believes a good deed makes magic happen. Ryan Hardy thinks they should just mind their own business. Lizzy MacComber believes in facts, not fairy tales. Even if I wasn’t a believer I’d make a wish just in case. Wouldn’t you?
As more wishes are made, the well's true secret gets harder and harder to keep. Ernest, Ryan, and Lizzy know they can't fix the world. But in their own little corner of it, they can give everyone a little hope... one wish at a time.
A well. A wish. And a little drop of hope.
Times are tough. Jobs are scarce and miracles are not in the picture. Yes, something strange is happening in Small town, Ohio. An old well has suddenly, begun to grant wishes. And three sixth graders are the only ones who know why.
Ernest Wilmette believes a good deed makes magic happen. Ryan Hardy thinks they should just mind their own business. Lizzy MacComber believes in facts, not fairy tales. Even if I wasn’t a believer I’d make a wish just in case. Wouldn’t you?
As more wishes are made, the well's true secret gets harder and harder to keep. Ernest, Ryan, and Lizzy know they can't fix the world. But in their own little corner of it, they can give everyone a little hope... one wish at a time.
June 26, 2023
Such a beautiful book! I loved the magical plot and the feeling of friendship and love all bundled up in this beautiful book! A bit of mystery and some magic involved, but it definitely shows that fate knows where to go 😆
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