Laura Ruby
HarperCollins, 2019 363 pages
Grades 8-Up
Historical Fiction/Fantasy
Frankie has lived in a Catholic Chicago orphanage with her brother and sister since her mother died many years ago. Her immigrant Italian father remarries and moves to Colorado, taking her brother and step-siblings, yet leaving Frankie and her sister behind. Through the backdrop of World War II, Frankie comes of age, surviving rationing and dodging the blows of the nuns. Even though the boys and girls are kept separate at the orphanage, Frankie manages to find love, only to have him leave to fight in the war. A reunion with family members reveals hidden truths about the past, as well as bringing about more hurt and fresh wounds. Frankie must make some big decisions to ensure the safety and future of both herself and her sister. Meanwhile, our narrator, a young ghost, has her own story to tell. As she zips around Chicago, observing Frankie, as well as other regulars on her rounds, she makes a ghost friend who helps her to come to terms with her violently tragic past. A story within a story, the ghost's past life is slowly revealed, this time during the previous world war, ending in a surprising demise.
Similar in tone and quality to Ruby's 2017 Printz winner Bone Gap, the author has penned another winner, already a National Book Award Finalist. Set in the first half of the last century, this book is clearly historical fiction, yet the ghostly element adds a touch of fantasy as well. The ghostly narrator is an interesting perspective and at times I forgot that she was narrating Frankie's story as I fell deeply into it. The chapters where the ghost is having her own adventures and discoveries brought me back and added pacing and contrast to the overall arc of the story. The narration is reminiscent to The Book Thief and it is equally well done. The story is so well written, sometimes it went over my head, yet the plot is interesting enough that I didn't let it slow me down and kept quickly turning pages to see what happens next. An author's note at the end revels to the reader that the story is based on the author's mother-in-law's actual experiences, which adds a layer of authenticity to the tale. Kids are fascinated by orphanages and this alone will draw in readers. Sometimes with high quality teen literature I question if the target audience will read the book. In this case, I think that smart teens will love this story and find much to savor. Perfect for book groups (both teen and adult) and sure to bring home more awards, this new title from a respected author is one of the nest of the year.
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