Sunday, June 21, 2020

Echo Mountain by Lauren Wolk - ADVISABLE

Echo Mountain by Lauren Wolk, 368 pages. Dutton Books for Young Readers (Penguin Random House), 2020. $18.

Content: G.

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

12yo Ellie moved from the city to the mountains of Maine in 1934 when the depression hit and her father's business -  a tailor's shop - went under.  Now they are living on the land, but several months ago, her father was hurt in an accident. Now in a coma in the bedroom of their cabin, Ellie is desperate to get him to wake up.  Her older sister Esther and her mother are irritated by her crazy attempts, hoping she isn't hurting her father.  Grounded to the outside for putting a snake in his room, Ellie follows a dog up the mountain and she discovers "the hag" hoping she can help, but she is injured as well, and certainly not what Ellie expected.  Maybe she knows how to wake up father, but first she'll need Ellie's help.

Well written, urgent, nostalgic - Lauren Wolk is a brilliant story teller.  I could hardly put it down. Wolk examines who we are, who were were, and who we may be, it's about finding yourself. Not as anxious as Wolf Hollow, but just as engaging. There's a great friendship with a mountain boy that I'm hoping shows up in a sequel sometime. Some cringe worthy descriptions of wounds and treatments; necessary for authenticity and reading enjoyment.

Lisa Librarian

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