Sapphire the Great and the Meaning of Life by Beverley Brenna. 148 pages. CHAPTER BOOK. Pajama Press, Inc., 2019. $17.
Language: G; Mature Content: PG; Violence: G.
BUYING ADVISORY: EL – OPTIONAL
AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE
Sapphire is a hamster looking for freedom. Jeannie is girl looking for a hamster. Told in short chapters from the perspective of each main character, the reader learns more about Jeannie’s family life through her adventures and bonding with Sapphire. Her life was upended when her father left just before Christmas. Now she is trying to understand why he isn’t coming back.
Dealing with themes of divorce, homosexuality, and transgender adults, this book takes a gentle approach to some big issues. The mature content rating is for the aforementioned issues. Author Beverley Brenna is known for creating diverse characters and this book is no exception. Illustrator Tara Anderson adds some cute hamster sketches to round out the book. It could be a welcome read for a student who is struggling to understand gay and transgender issues with an adult in their life. Best suited for upper elementary students.
LMA, elementary school teacher
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