Destiny's Gift

by Natasha Anastasia Tarpley

Destiny loves words, and her favorite place in the world is Mrs. Wade's bookstore, where words abound. On Saturdays, Destiny helps Mrs. Wade at the store, and at day's end they relax together, drinking tea and reading. Then one Saturday Mrs. Wade does not seem her usual self, and Destiny later learns the store may have to close.

Destiny is determined not to let this happen. As she works to help keep the store open, she also creates an imaginative gift for Mrs. Wade that captures the warmth and special magic of the store forever.

Destiny's Gift is a heartwarming celebration of friendship and creativity, and a touching tribute to a child's love for reading and the power of words.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens

32 pages, Hardcover

First published October 30, 2004

Reviews

[Tamara the Librarian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Story about a young girl who loves spending time in a locally owned bookstore and has a close relationship with the owner. The owner struggles to keep the store open and Destiny helps mobilize the community to help out. In the end, it is unclear whether the store will remain open, but the friendship between Destiny and Mrs. Wade will remain.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Might be good for a school visit - elementary age. Great book about a book store's impact on a young girl, and the power of words, books, and community involvement. Great diverse choice, and I love the illustrations.

[Jessie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the story of a girl who loves her local bookstore and bookstore owner and works to save the store when it might close.

The book ends with uncertainty about the store's future, which I liked; that's not the point as much as what the girl gives for the store and the owner.

I liked the use of collage here, and it was cool to see all the books on the shelves in the bookstore.

[Jo Oehrlein · Rating 3 out of 5]

Destiny loves her neighborhood bookstore and the bookstore owner. Unfortunately, with rising rents the bookstore doesn't make enough to stay open.

Destiny organizes a community fundraiser and the community shows its support.

Destiny wants to give the owner a gift and she gives a gift of herself and her words, sharing what the store and the owner have meant to her.

[Mary Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another of the books in @Jess5th 's inferring from book covers lesson.

https://crawlingoutoftheclassroom.wor...

[BookishBoricua · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story is nostalgic for me because I loved reading as a child, although I didn't have access to a community bookstore like the one in this book. I thought the illustrations were lovely and the story was nice, but it didn't wow me.
#blackhistorymonth #blacklitchallenge

[Cameron · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved! Community organizing to save a neighborhood bookstore and bonding between females of two generations? Sign me up

[Faloni © · Rating 5 out of 5]

📚 Destiny's Gift is a heartwarming tale of community, friendship, and the transformative power of books. 🌟

[Hilmg · Rating 5 out of 5]

cookies & tea + the love of language & community

[Sam Grace · Rating 3 out of 5]

About the relationship between a budding writer of a girl and the owner of an African American focused community bookstore. I really liked the ritual of the two drinking tea together, the positive mentoring relationship between community members, the emphasis on community organizing REGARDLESS of the result (and I like that the story ends without you knowing whether the store survived for various reasons), and I appreciated the reminder that stores like that are treasures of the community that we should try to keep around. I loved the artist's interpretation of Mrs. Wade, the bookstore owner, her silver dreds are beautiful and her face is expressive. I really enjoyed looking at all the other books that are illustrated as being on the shelves in the background. I liked the style of painting and then cutting out and collaging the painted pieces of paper.

But I was generally unmoved by Destiny herself. She didn't really come through as an interesting character to me at all. I didn't really get much out of the whole love of books and bookstores and libraries thing (it felt didactic, which is a little odd). I was disappointed that we didn't actually get to see the community coming together much. And, despite my love of the illustration of Mrs. Wade (and the author reading in the bookstore), I wasn't crazy about the visual layout of the book, nor did I feel like the illustrations were consistently as good as I wanted.

But don't let my negative comments keep you from taking a look at this book, it has a strong message and is certainly worth getting out of the library at the very least.

[Hannah Morrison · Rating 3 out of 5]

We used this as a read aloud in our class and I would love to use it in my own class. The author tells a story similar to her life and finding her love of words. I really enjoyed sharing this with my class because we were able to talk about gifts and talents they might have that other people do not, or are unaware of. Destiny makes a special gift for Mrs. Wade in the story, and we talked about what special gifts they could make with their own talents. It definitely opened our students for discussion.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this in my field placement and the children and I loved it. It's a very inspiring story for lovers of reading and writing and encourages students to spend a lot of time with books. This is a good story to read because it helps raise children's awareness for community involvement and the meaning and love of books.

[Connie Eberhart · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautiful book about a friendship between a young girl and a local store owner. IT brings out the beauty and importance of the words we choose. This would be an excellent addition to a unit or lesson about manners/caring as well as a great multi cultural book.

[Nayira · Rating 3 out of 5]

What a sweet story, my little girl student really loved it.
It has been our second read for the summer. I related to Destiny on this story cuz for me Bookstore are mini paradises where you lose yourself and enjoy so many smells and of course, books.