- 5th grader Elsa is sent to live with grandparents for the summer
- themes include: conquering fears, improvement in health, seeing the beauty of nature, loving words & writing
- convo: occasional sarcastic thoughts and bad attitude–the word “hate” is used quite a bit, whiskey and cigars mentioned, some lying
Type: chapter book
Ages: 8-12
Author: Gloria Whelan
Elsa typically lives in Detroit, Michigan with her family, but is sent to her grandparents’ cottage by Lake Huron in hopes that her health will improve (spoiler: it does!). It is 1933, during the Depression, and food is scarce in the city.
This isn’t an easy transition, though. She definitely experiences culture shock, from urban busyness to the slower pace of rural life. And her reactions are not exemplary. Readers might tire a bit from her grumpiness, but it does improve.
I love how her relationship with Grandmama sweetens over time. At first, she was scared of the stern-seeming older woman, but in a poetic way, eventually realizes that it’s just like blackberries: in the tangle of briars with thorns that scratch your arms, “you had to get past the thorns to taste the sweet fruit.”
Elsa narrates the story in a similarly poetic way throughout. Each chapter begins with a poem she has written about her current situation, and it is a charming element to the overall story. She is a collector of words, memorizing the delicious new ones she learns.
Readers will find the lure of a slower life palpable and irresistible. Things just seem to calibrate when one pauses the busyness, works at useful activities, and spends a lot of time outdoors.
There is a side story woven throughout: the grandparents exchange letters with Jewish friends in Germany, who are seeking safety and trying to flee. Just like for Elsa, this will gently open the eyes of young people, widening their views of the world.
My only issue with this book was Elsa’s ‘tude. The rest was positively lovely and, overall, eclipsed the grouchy moments. Consider if this might be a good, sweet read for the girls in your life!
