so-soIn college, I took a course called Celtic Christianity. I learned that in the Celtic version of the Adam & Eve story, all of nature prays in the river alongside the Edenic couple while they beg for divine forgiveness: the fish, the frogs, even a big, blue whale. It shouldn‘t have surprised me, then, to read about all of the animals in this story, set in Wales, who help Gwynn process the grief of losing his sister: …👇🏻
monalyisha 1/9: …a spider, a black cat, and a herd of legendary horses. And it didn‘t surprise me, really. What caught me by surprise was the violent deaths of two-thirds of that list in a story intended for kids ages 8+. If I‘d read this ahead of time, I don‘t know that I would have chosen it for my children‘s book club at the library. 2m
monalyisha 2/9: The group is for kids ages 9-12…but some of them are a very young and sensitive 9, and I‘ve known adults who have refused to pick up a book with an animal in the narrative without first consulting the site “Does the Dog Die?” now
monalyisha 3/9: I don‘t believe the choice to include the death of these characters was a misstep, necessarily. These things happen, of course. Death happens, and we know that books provide a safe space for processing big feelings. But if you‘re not expecting it to happen — either in stories or in life — it can feel *especially* harsh and sad. So, I wish I‘d known to issue a warning (however vague). now
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monalyisha 4/9: One positive is that Nimmo delivers on the promise made by the Welsh setting; descriptions of the sea, the mountains, and moody weather abound. It‘s the perfect backdrop for a tale of nature magic. now
monalyisha 5/9: On Gwyn‘s 9th birthday, his Nain gifts him a handful of mundane objects, promising that if he‘s the right person to wield them, he‘ll be granted his heart‘s desire. His desire, of course, is to have his sister back, and for his family to feel whole again. now
monalyisha 6/9: There were things I adored about the book and things I didn‘t — like his Nain‘s assertion that to be a magician, one must accept that they will always be truly alone. I think that‘s far too bleak a message for kid lit. I‘m with author Natalie Babbitt, who wrote about what makes Children‘s Literature unique: “Happy endings, of course — and also joy.” now
monalyisha 7/9: She elaborates, “Not…a simple “happily ever after,” or…the kind of contrived final sugar coating that seems tacked on primarily to spare the child any glimpse of what really would have happened had the author not been vigilant; not these, but…something which goes much deeper, something which turns a story ultimately toward hope rather than resignation.” now
monalyisha 8/9: Nimmo‘s ending isn‘t lacking in hope but it would have been more satisfying if Eirlys‘s presence had prompted the family to open up and talk about what happened. Then, the resolution would be more than simply “having the chance to say goodbye.” The resolution would be the realization that it‘s important and healthy to talk to one another, and to lean on one another. now
monalyisha 9/9: Nain‘s declaration seemed wrong-footed to me. While there are hints that Gwyn‘s family is healing, they feel too subtle for the audience. It strikes me as a bit irresponsible and unhealthy, in a children‘s book, to introduce a message of profound isolation and then not soundly and explicitly negate it. I‘m torn about my rating for this one. now
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