The Most Perfect Thing in the Universe

by Tricia Springstubb

For fans of Shouting at the Rain by Lynda Mullaly and The Adventures of a Girl Called Bicycle by Christina Uss, a novel about one unadventurous girl who discovers she is anything but.

Eleven-year-old Loah Londonderry is definitely a homebody. While her mother, a noted ornithologist, works to save the endangered birds of the shrinking Arctic tundra, Loah anxiously counts the days till her return home. But then, to Loah's surprise and dismay, Dr. Londonderry decides to set off on a perilous solo quest to find the Loah bird, long believed extinct. Does her mother care more deeply about Loah the bird than Loah her daughter?

Things get worse yet when Loah's elderly caretakers fall ill and she finds herself all alone except for her friend Ellis. Ellis has big problems of her own, but she believes in Loah. She's certain Loah has strengths that are hidden yet wonderful, like the golden feather tucked away on her namesake bird's wing. When Dr. Londonderry's expedition goes terribly wrong, Loah needs to discover for herself whether she has the courage and heart to find help for her mother, lost at the top of the world.

Beautifully written, The Most Perfect Thing in the Universe is about expeditions big and small, about creatures who defy gravity and those of us who are bound by it.

A Mighty Girl Best Book of the Year
A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection

Genres: Middle Grade, Animals, Childrens, Travel, Science, Realistic Fiction, Friendship

192 pages, Hardcover

First published June 1, 2021

About the author

Sister James Bernard, my first grade teacher, taught me how to read. Our class had 60 children (yes) and we went up and down the long rows, taking turns reading aloud. There was absolutely no reading ahead, which was torture. I was always dying to know What happened next? (though with Dick and Jane, the answer was usually, Not much.) As I grew up, I began to wonder not only what happened, but why, and much much later,inhabiting other people's stories wasn't enough. I began to make my own.

Reviews

[Tricia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Since my own personal view might be slightly subjective, instead I'll quote this starred review from Kirkus!

Loah’s been left—again—in the care of the elderly Rinkers while her mother is on an Arctic expedition.
A determined homebody, 11-year-old Loah doesn’t enjoy her mother’s long, sometimes perilous journeys. This one’s been unexpectedly extended since her mom, an ornithologist, believes she’s spotted a loah bird, the very rare animal for which Loah was named. Stiff, seemingly unemotional Miss Rinker and her brother, gentle, bumbling Theo, are nice enough, but they are inadequate substitutes for a mother who is so deeply engaged in her professional life. When Loah befriends Ellis (or L.S., whose real name is Little Squirrel), a girl just as deeply in need of TLC as Loah, it puts into motion a series of tender gestures. One lovingly crafted character after another (most seemingly White) reaches out to offer unexpected, desperately needed support, demonstrating a remarkable chain of interconnectedness. As Loah’s mother had said, “All living creatures depended on one another in ways big and small.” With mysterious noises emanating from Loah’s crumbling home’s turret, Ellis’ seemingly monstrous grandfather, a threatening, busybody home inspector, and a suspenseful accident in the Arctic, there is plenty to keep readers engaged in this heartfelt exploration of goodness. Never-intrusive environmental lessons are an added bonus.
Satisfying and life affirming: a perfect thing in the universe of juvenile fiction.

[Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pure gold, this one, right up there with Harriet The Spy and Charlotte's Web as one of the best girl's coming of age stories I've ever read. You know you're in the presence of a wise person and a great writer when you come across sentences like these:
"Watching grown-ups make wrong decisions you are helpless to stop - this is one of the worst parts of being a child."
"Drawing a breath, she forced herself to walk the length of the corridor and test there turret door. Shut tight, just as she'd left it. Yet she stood for a moment, listening. Something listened back."
Isn't that heaven? And finally -
"Bird brains are wired for joy. They know the world is a dangerous place, yet anytime they can forget it, they do."
Just like us humans, right?

[Lisa]

Loah is in the care of Miss Rinker and Theo, the elderly siblings who live with her, while her mother is on an expedition in the Artic to find a rare bird. Loah knows exactly how many days her mother has been away and wishes she would come home. Her life at home becomes an expedition of its own when Loah must deal with a few problems including helping her mother who might be in danger. This is a sweet, heartfelt story about courage, resilience, and community. There are also some lessons related to the natural world interwoven into the story.

[Marilyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good friend gave me this book and it was a delight. A real page turner especially at the end.

[Melanie Dulaney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loah lives in a ramshackle home with two elderly caretakers and a ornithologist mom who is gone more than she is home. When the “gone” turns into a scary disaster in the Arctic for her mom, the normally introverted heroine must dig down deep and find the courage and strength that was there all along. Springstubb’s characters, crotchety Miss Rinker, amiable Theo and new friend Ellis, are vivid and provide support for Loah as she becomes braver and bolder than she ever thought possible. Readers may find their own bit of courage as they read and will definitely learn new things about many of our feathered friends. Great choice for middle grade readers in grades 4-6; contains no profanity, sexual content, or significant violence. Representation: All main characters seem to be Caucasian, but with little physical description of Theo or Miss Rinker, anything is possible; Loah is an only child of a single, working mother. Thanks for sharing your book with the #BookAllies Twitter group, Tricia!!!

[Steph · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Loah’s heart, unlike the rest of her, was very athletic.”

“He’s shy.”
“He’s overcome.”

Oh this sweet story of following dreams, uncovering truths about one another, making family from friends, and coming home.

Oh… and those dang birds that I grew to love, too. :-)

[Tom · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read, great story, almost poetic at times. It teaches you a thing or two about birdbrains along the way!

[Cassie Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very engaging middle grade novel that is well put together and not complicated in the slightest. The book is very well written given the primary topic of the book (bird watching). The main character is constantly getting bullied; chubby, lazy eye, non-athletic. Her mother bought a house that needs so much work; yet, not concerned about the house. Her mother leaves on a job and leaves her with an older couple. The couple works really hard to get Loah outside more and takes really good care of her. Loah gets freaked out one day at her house as Loah runs into a young boy and girl in a fork in the road - the two kids are very self sufficient (essentially raising themselves). After a while, her mom calls Loah to let her know that she is not returning because she swears that she has found this super rare bird. Loah is disappointed, but never feels as though her mother doesn't lover her, just learning that her mother loves nature the exact same. Loah starts to get a spiral of bad news (when it rains it pours) - including potentially losing her home. Loah's caretakers are now both in the hospital. Loah runs into the kids again, inviting the young girl who was "running away" to stay with her. This girl from the woods gives Loah courage and bravery that she never once portrayed having. Loah gets a phone call from her mom and Loah realizes something is very, very wrong. Loah finding a way to her moms university seeks out her boss to find a way to get her mother back. Again, she returns to bad news with child protective services at her front door on top of her house being condemned, BUT mom will be returning and was injured.

You don't have to leave home to find adventure and discoveries.

Themes: climate change, self acceptance, bullying, courage, bravery, friendship, and true family.

[Ena Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loah Londonderry is a happy homebody, who loves her (much of the time) absent mother and understands the importance of the work she does, despite also being frustrated at being left alone with her caretakers, the Rinker siblings. THE MOST PERFECT THING IN THE UNIVERSE is a beautifully written story about a girl who likes things "as they are" for the most part (except she'd like her mom around more), but as everything, from her house, the Rinkers, and her own mother, seems to be falling apart in one sense or another, Loah's forced outside of her comfort zone—not only by the circumstances, but by a new, unexpected, friend—and must take chances she never imagined in order to help the Rinkers through their own health struggles, and convince her mother's boss that her mom is missing and that she needs to be rescued. A wonderful book to hand to an 8-12 year old who loves nature and especially birds, and might be looking for that one "special" friend. Just lovely!

[Ellen]

This was a tricky one for me. 1. Springstubb's writing is beautiful, truly beautiful. 2. The plot (11 year old Loah's ornithologist mom delays returning from an Arctic expedition, and may be injured, as her elderly caretakers are sidelined with unexpected health issues, and the home inspector circles their crumbling house like a buzzard) just stressed me out. I'm not sold on the friendship side plot mixing in with all those elements, either, or Loah's anxiety mixed with her lazy eye. It just felt like a lot, crammed into a tiny book, a lot to throw at one poor kid and way more than enough to trigger my anxiety on her behalf. I had a hard time finishing it. But all that said, we go back to #1 - the writing is unexpected, evocative, lovely.

[Gmr · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a story filled with adventure unknown, trials unexpected, seemingly vindictive birds (that I loved!), and expressions of love you were not expecting.

Loah is a young girl left mostly on her own as her mother travels the world in search of feathered friends. Don’t worry, they are Loah’s friends too, in fact she’s named after one, and knows all about them, but sometimes those trips feel like one too many. It’s hard to blame someone for their absence when they are doing what they love, but sometimes you want to be the priority. This time around, Loah isn’t just missing her mother, she REALLY needs her, and she’s certain something is amiss. While their communication is sketchy as she travels abroad, she’s never out of contact this long, add to that how things at home as escalating rather rapidly with red stamped notices, and uninvited inspectors appearing, as well as her caretakers falling under the weather, and life is anything but a nest of security. It’s downright fraught with obstacles. Some of the burden is alleviated when she makes a new friend that really needs to her help, but even that starts to grow beyond what an eleven-year-old should have to handle. She just needs her mother’s guiding light, but first she needs to find her mother, or at least someone that believes her enough to follow her heart.

Watching Loah come out of her proverbial shell was fortifying. It reminds us that there isn’t anything we can’t do if only we set out minds to it, and nothing in this world stronger than love. Whether it be love of a person, place, or thing, it can be the anchor that holds us still long enough to sort out the what ifs and see the way out. Loah may have needed her mom, but it wasn’t for the strength to do the right thing, or the courage to find her way, but for the fortification her presence provided in declaring her world safe, warm, and loving.



**copy received for review, opinions are my own

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the perfect throwback/update of the late 20th century middle grade "kids on their own" genre. The all-too-rare these days example of a kid figuring things out for herself in the absence of adults...but with a clever acknowledgement of how used today's world is to kids never being outside of adult supervision. Setting Loah up as a homebody with a traveling mother puts the premise in territory familiar to today's kids who spent a good chunk of their childhoods at home during the pandemic, and letting her build on the skills she's developed there rather than having to go out and find a whole new personality acknowledges that it wasn't all just wasted time. Even better, the story stays focused on Loah's experiences and perceptions rather than evaluating the motives and reasoning of the adults around the edges of the story - as multiple folks point out to her (and more people in real life should remind kids), the emotional, professional, etc. needs of the grownups are not her problem. While she saves the day by going above and beyond the call of duty, she also gets to live her own life in the end without defining herself by the goals or shortcomings of her mother or caregivers.

Really, the only (very minor) quibble with the audio edition (I'm not sure if these are also present in the print version), was the slightly jarring incorporation of direct but rhetorical questions to the reader/listener at several points in the story. The tone and language of the questions seem to be geared toward a younger audience than the primary story, and take the listener out of the narrative because this is a story you're experiencing alongside Loah, not hearing about later.

Aside from that, this is a great pick for your next road trip or quiet day at home.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

[Micaiah Boyea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with access to this audiobook in return for a review!
This was quite a heart wrenching book, especially as a mother. Loah was an endearing character and I was so sad for the life she lived. I could write a lot about just that aspect, but there’s just too much to it. You will come to see that the mother has made and does make bad decisions that hurt Loah most of all, and it will play a huge part in the book. The biggest frustration for me about this book, was that we didn’t get to have confirmation that the mother learned anything from the biggest mistake. It would have kind of made more sense or been more satisfying if we could at least have been reassured that Loah was not going to be left in unsafe circumstances in the future, and her mom was going to change her ways. A lot of the adults in this book make bad decisions or let other people make bad decisions for them which is a bad decision: allowing someone to control you. But the other adults do seem to learn after they or Loa are harmed, and make changes. It’s good for kids to see adults making mistakes, but it’s vital for them to see that adults have consequences and make changes and learn lessons.
There is quite a lot of plot to this book, but there’s so much emotional substance to it as well, so I’ve focused on the latter, so as not to spoil the plot. The little tidbits about birds sprinkled throughout the book are interesting. The voice actor did a good job except the elderly male voices were kind of irritating. Overall a very pleasant and engaging read, but I would feel more confident recommending this book to my kids at the library if boundaries had been agreed upon for the mom for her future work traveling.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

This deftly-told story is a 3.5 for me, and I can certainly see how it would appeal to its intended audience. Something of a loner, eleven-year-old Loah Londonderry is rarely interested in adventure or venturing far from her comfortable but aging home, surrounded by trees and birds. In many respects, she's the opposite of her mother, an ornithologist who's often away from home on various expeditions, leaving Loah's care in the hands of elderly siblings, the Rinkers. Loah's hopes of spending the summer with her mother are dashed when she decides to extend her stay in the Arctic as she tries to track down the elusive loah bird, the winged creature after whom Loah herself was named. But her mother's going solo and off the grid, and several mishaps threaten her survival. Loah's world is turned upside down when Theo Rinker is hospitalized, and she must fend for herself. She makes friends with a nearby girl named Squirrel, and has to venture into unfamiliar territory in order to help her mother. As it turns out, Loah is more important to many of those around her than she has ever imagined, and Loah herself just might have the heart of an adventurer and explorer when necessary. The author's inclusion of tidbits about birds and their songs and information about climate change and how it's affecting various species and how every species matters adds interest and relevance to this particular story. While Loah understands her mother's dedication to her work, a part of her longs to be the most important part of her mother's world.

[Ande Davidson · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Most Perfect Thing in the Universe is a super sweet MG book about Loah. Loah is dealing with so much throughout this book including missing her ornithologist mother who is out in the field, worrying about her house falling apart, and helping her ailing caregivers. This is too much stress for any little girl, but I loved how this book showed Loah handle her troubles and learn how to be brave even when she was very scared.

I thought this one was super well written, and even though I wish there had been a few lighter moments in the book, it was fast-paced and engaging. I think Loah was a really well-developed character & the author also did a great job with world-building. I also loved the minor focus on environmentalism.

Thanks to NetGalley, Tricia Springstubb, and Publisher Spotlight for the chance to read and review!

[Pam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loah was named by her icthyologist mother after a bird that is feared extinct. Loah lives being at home with the wlderly caretakers, the Rinkers, but her mother thrives on adventure and is in the Arctic studying birds. And in fact extends her trip, this time solo. Loah is bullied, but meets Ellus, who seems to be perfectly opposite of Loah. The Rinkers have medical issues, Ellis convinces Loah that she needs to be with them at the hospital, and helps Loah figure out what to do about her mother. The title refers to an egg.
Tricia Springstubb is coming to the library and I am excited to hear what she will say about this book.

[Sally Engelfried · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm a sucker for a shy protagonist fell instantly in love with Loah. Loah's mom is an ornithologist and away alot so she stays with the Rinkers, an older brother and sister who were orphaned as a child. Loah is very shy and afraid of most things but when her mom goes missing and she makes a new friend and her caretakers get hurt, she learns how to stand up for what she needs and learns a little bit about what family means. Very sweet and extremely satisfying!

[Kimberly Gutierrez · Rating 4 out of 5]

A truly wonderful book! I absolutely loved all the connections to birds and nature. There were many quotable lines that I walked away with. Amazing character development and a unique set of characters at that. I wanted to rush to this house and support this girl in her life. A truly amazing read. Thank you to the publisher for providing an ARC to #bookposse.

[Maizy ❤️s Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was a quick read but very powerful. Springstubb's writing style is very comforting and so are the characters. This book made me feel everything from sadness (the situation with the Rinkers), to joy (the random assortment of people and their quirkiness), and anger (Loah's mother). I just loved it!

[LS Johnson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m always happy to find another good bird book! I’m always yanked out of the story when a narrator inserts itself into a book and that happened here. It distracted me from the progression of the story.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh how absolutely delightful! A truly lovely story about chasing your dreams and coming home. A story about found family and friendship. A story about birds...so many wonderful birds!

[Jami Ellis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute story, interesting characters. Lots of neat bird facts.

[Maggie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great for 4th-6th grade audience. Ending a tad rushed for my taste.

[Jojobooks Higgins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really great middle grade story! Would also make a great read aloud - plenty of great conversation starters. Exciting finish!

[Jenn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really very sweet and summery, and well narrated, and of course I LOVED all the bird things.

[Heather B. · Rating 5 out of 5]

A middle grade novel that touches on very small and very large themes simultaneously. I won’t look at a bird’s egg the same way again. Loved this quiet book.

[Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a sweet middle grade novel - perhaps too sweet. I think the problems were too quickly resolved, and some ends were left hanging loose.

[Adam Allen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful, touching story of a girl with an unconventional family and home.

[Amelia Watson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a fun story with great characters. The mother drove me crazy but Loah and her friends were delightful. I loved seeing her come out of her shell a little (no pun intended) and try new things. It felt a little rushed at the end but it wrapped things up nicely. The environmental side notes were slightly distracting but the bird facts were really fun. I loved how she made the birds characters while staying true to real life.