Friday, June 7, 2019

Book Review: The Miraculous, by Jess Redman

If you haven't heard the buzz about Jess Redman's beautiful debut yet, prepare for my take, as I was fortunate to read an advanced reader copy recently.



Death is a hard thing. Processing death is a uniquely personal journey, one which often forces us to examine aspects within and about our lives which we'd never before considered. Redman's expertise as a therapist and adjunct professor of psychology are demonstrably clear in the story she's brought forth in The Miraculous. Redman captures the pain and subsequent growth of her young protagonist as he deals with his grief surrounding the death of his baby sister. With accurate yet gentle means Redman crafts a touching and memorable story full of bitter reality but laced together with hope and the promise of more.

As I read The Miraculous, there were times I had to set it aside, as it often brought me close to my own personal struggles. Yet this was not a bad thing. Ultimately, this was a cathartic read for me, and impressed upon me the importance of writing literature for children that is accessible but also deals with difficult themes. Ever since reading Bridge to Terabithia many years ago I've appreciated accurate and skillfully written novels for children which can do what Redman has done with The Miraculous.

The Miraculous releases on 7/30/19 from Farrar, Straus, and Giroux (BYR), and were I you, I'd get it preordered right now.

Below are some links for preordering your copy and perusing other reviews. Happy reading! -Rob

https://us.macmillan.com/books/9780374309749

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40864855-the-miraculous

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