For the Child Who Feels Everything: Sensitivity, PEI, and The Mysterious Magic of Lighthouse Lane

 

Were you a child who felt everything deeply? Or do you have one of those children in your family now? I was—and still am. As a child, hearing bad news often felt like it were happening to me. And I have a son the same way. We walked out of many cartoons near the climactic point. It was just too much.  

At first, I was excited about Erin Stewart’s The Mysterious Magic of Lighthouse Lane because of the setting—Prince Edward Island—one of my favorite places to read about. But I ended up falling in love with Lucy, who reminded me a lot of my younger self.

If you love Prince Edward Island, gentle mysteries, and stories about children learning to live with big feelings, this is a lovely choice.

 

MMGM: The Boy Who Built Boxen: A Review of Giant

 

Do you have a C.S. Lewis fan at your house—or are you, or an older teen, reading Surprised by Joy? If you’d like to learn more about Lewis’s early life and his time in Belfast, Giant by Judith McQuoid is a lovely introduction.

Told through the eyes of fictional Davy, a boy based on Lewis’s longest friendship, this gentle historical novel imagines the early years of “Jacks,” the young C.S. Lewis.

As I read, I kept thinking about the parts of Surprised by Joy where Lewis describes making Boxen with his brother and his especially close relationship with Warnie. Narnia was one of the first novel-length series I read as a child, so I loved learning more about the childhood seeds that may have grown into those beloved stories.

If you enjoy discovering the inspirations behind your favorite authors, I think you will enjoy this one.

 

ISWG: Bends in the Road: What My Writing Life Has Taught Me

A winding path at the Oregon Zoo

 

I don’t like to think about regrets. Looking back on the over twenty years I’ve spent as a parent (my oldest turned twenty-four last week) and the time I’ve spent writing, I can think of many things I would’ve done differently with what I know now. But how would I have that knowledge if I hadn’t failed, and in a big way sometimes?

So, yes, I am an imperfect parent. My writing journey has often been a winding path instead of a straight road. Most of what I know is from doing things wrong.

MMGM: True Adventure for Gentle Readers: Heart of a Samurai

 

I am always looking for stories that draw in readers who love true adventure, perilous journeys, and brave young people finding their place in the world. When my boys were growing up, they thrived on stories that felt real and high-stakes. One of our favorite shared read-alouds was Carry On, Mr. Bowditch. I think the fact that it was a true story—about a boy who pulled himself out of poverty to become a great navigator—truly inspired them. 

Later, when my boys were in high school, I read Moby-Dick with my younger son and then we watched the classic movie with Gregory Peck. As someone with a strong interest in marine biology, he didn't mind the "nonfiction" chapters about whales, and like his older brother, he loved the sense of adventure on the high seas.

If you are looking for stories for your morning basket or the classroom—tales filled with real people, cross-cultural connections, and quiet bravery—Heart of a Samurai is a wonderful discovery.

MMGM: Pencils Ready! A Sibling Hunt for Ms. Pennypickle’s Prize

I come from a long line of puzzlers. My grandfather did crosswords and loved word play. When I was growing up, we read from Donald Sobol's Two-Minute Mysteries almost every night. My mom still does crosswords, and my oldest son loves mental puzzles of all kinds. When he was in middle school, the Winston Breen Puzzle books were his favorite, because you could solve the puzzles right along with the main characters.

If you have a puzzler or a treasure hunt fan at your house, I think you’re going to love Chris Grabenstein’s new book. Think Amazing Race meets The Westing Game.

MMGM: Whimsy, Vocabulary, and Goldfish: Why Growing Home is the Perfect Family Read-Aloud

 

As an unofficial champion of underdogs, some of my favorite students have been the ones no one else quite knew what to do with. A little prickly. A little blunt. The kids who always let you know exactly where you stood.

Those personalities often end up cast as the antagonists in children's books, where cheerful, agreeable characters tend to take center stage. That's one reason I loved Growing Home by Beth Ferry and the Fan Brothers. Toasty is prickly—but he's also wonderfully human, funny, and surprisingly lovable.

MMGM: Not Every Spark Needs a Stage — A Review of Absolutely, Almost

 

When I was a special education teacher, I would try to identify the hidden talents of my students. Some students, for example, who were struggling to read, might be brilliant artists or know all about the solar system.

One day, I asked a student, who was a very talented artist, if she wanted to make art when she grew up, and she said, “No, I just want to draw.”

It really hit me. Why are we in such a hurry as parents or teachers to rush kids into deciding what they want to do for work? Or to turn every flash of interest into a career.

I love to play the piano just for fun. I will never be a professional musician, but that’s okay too.

Whether you're a homeschool parent or a classroom one, I think we've all had that moment of wondering — are we pushing too hard? Or should we just let them be? 

Today I’m featuring a book about a boy who just wants to be a kid. I hope you’ll enjoy meeting Albie in Absolutely Almost by Lisa Graff as much as I did.

Summary

Albie has always been an almost.

He’s almost good at tetherball.

He’s almost smart enough to pass his spelling test. 

And now that Albie is starting a brand-new school for fifth grade, he’s never felt more certain that almost simply isn’t good enough. With everyone around him expecting him to be one thing or another, how is an almost like Albie ever supposed to figure out who he wants to be? (from the front cover) 

 

Why This Story Stays With Me:

1.    From page one, I related to Albie. The family pressure to be involved in sports or activities, to get good grades, is real. Although I loved school and was good at it, I so related to Albie just wanting to eat donuts sometimes. 

2.    His relationship with Calista, his babysitter. Calista gives Albie acceptance for who he is. She lets him pick his own Halloween costume, just be a kid, and encourages his art. She knows that some days are just hard, but ice cream helps.

3.    Mr. Clifton, best math teacher ever! I love stories, like Wednesday Wars, where teachers provide much needed encouragement. Mr. Clifton keeps his “F” from fourth grade framed on his wall to remind himself that 

“You can’t get where you’re going without being where you’ve been” (p. 84) 

4.    The realities of reality TV. A fun subplot was Albie’s best friend Erlan’s family's foray into reality television.  Albie needs to sign a waiver to just go to his friend's birthday party! It gave a nice counterpoint to Albie’s journey to accept himself.

5.    Bullying handled with care. Darren and the “cool rules” were portrayed realistically. What I loved: Darren wasn’t a cardboard character, and Albie wasn’t a complete victim. His growth in learning to be okay with not being cool was a lovely journey.

Reading Guide: This book would appeal to 5th grade and up for independent reading, but might appeal to younger students as a read-aloud. It would make a great book for discussing finding your passions (even if they just end up as hobbies) or social pressure/bullying. 

 

Max’s take (out of a 5-bone scale)

Max, the Reading Dog

 

 

 

 

 

 🦴🦴🦴

No dogs! But I really liked reading about all the donuts and ice cream. If only my family would let me eat as much as Albie. I’m usually stuck with just dog cookies. Sigh!
 

 

Interesting Note: I got to hear Lisa Graff speak at a SCBWI conference a few years ago when she was still an editor. One piece of advice stuck with me: Don’t show your manuscript to critique partners until you’ve taken it as far as it can go. I have found I always get better feedback when I follow her advice.

Notes from the Front Porch:

Do you or your child ever feel like you’re just “almost” because you don’t have a spectacular talent?

Is there a book that helped you or your child feel understood?

  

Check out other fabulous middle grades at Always in the Middle!  

Tea and Tails

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If you enjoy our bookish chats, I’d love to have you join me for Tea and Tails, a monthly letter from my reading nook filled with bookish heart and quiet courage.