Can A Homemade Postcard Carry So Much Meaning?
- Author: Cary Fagan
- Publisher: Tundra Books (September 17, 2019)
- Genre: Middle Grade/Fiction
- Book Excerpt
- Hardcover: 188 pages
ABOUT THE BOOK
Who is Gretchen Oyster? The discovery of a series of mysterious handmade postcards distracts Hartley from trouble at home. A poignant novel for fans of Rebecca Stead and Holly Goldberg Sloan.
Hartley Staples, near-graduate of middle school, is grappling with the fact that his older brother has run away from home, when he finds a handmade postcard that fascinates him. And soon he spots another. Despite his losing interest in pretty much everything since Jackson ran away, Hartley finds himself searching for cards in his small town at every opportunity, ignoring other responsibilities, namely choosing a topic for his final project. Who is G.O. and why are they scattering cards about the town?
This is such a quirky, unusual book. And by that, I think I’m probably talking more about the writing style than the story. But that doesn’t in any way mean I don’t like it. It’s more of an observation.
Hartley finds himself at a loss when his older brother, Jackson, runs away from home. It seems each family member is trying to handle the loss in their own way and not finding much time for each other. But when Hartley finds a strange postcard, and then another, and another, his life begins to slowly change. Each postcard is a bit artsy, there is a picture, a typewritten message, and a number. They are all signed “g.o.”
Between some of the chapters are thoughts from Gretchen Oyster. A blue-haired, skate-boarding, high school girl with an artistic project. You can take it from there. This story is original and allows for deeper thinking. The illustrations of the postcards add quite a bit to the story.
What Concerned Me
I felt the story ended a bit abruptly. I didn’t ever feel that “aha, that was a really good book” moment.
Final Thoughts
The writing caught my attention immediately. It’s unusual and even the formatting is unique. The story caused me to realize that even the small things in life can touch others.
Don’t let my rating of this book scare you off. I liked it, it’s just that it didn’t hop to the top of my list of good books.
My thanks to NetGalley and PenguinRandomHouse for the opportunity to read this ARC and give my thoughts before publication.
About The Author:
Tundra author CARY FAGAN has written award-winning books for both adults and children. Cary has won the City of Toronto Book Award, the Jewish Book Committee Prize for Fiction, and the Mr. Christie Silver Medal. His picture books are Gogol’s Coat, The Market Wedding, Ten Old Men and a Mouse, and My New Shirt. His novels for children include Daughter of the Great Zandini, The Fortress of Kaspar Snit (Silver Birch Honor Book), and Directed by Kaspar Snit (Silver Birch nominee). Cary Fagan lives in Toronto.
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