May 1, 2021
Grades 4-7 Ever since Trixy's Gran, a prolific storyteller, passed away, a grieving Trixy has herself been overflowing with words. To make up for a missed memoir assignment, her sympathetic but strict fourth-grade teacher asks her to write a series of true stories. Though Gran insisted that her tales remain confidential, Trixy turns in one of those anecdotes as her own. It is well received, so Trixy turns in more, and they become more widely shared. When their truth is called into question, Trixy, determined to prove that Gran's adventures were more than just tall tales, begins to unravel her family's mysteries. Told in beautiful, dreamy prose accented with Southern drawls, Trixy's adventures are easily woven in with stories from Gran's fascinating life, including some remarkable reveals. The book imparts a gentle wisdom on friendship and family, grief and grace, but it shines in how it stresses the beauty and importance of stories, both spoken and silent. A gorgeous reminder of the power of stories to shape our worlds and each other.
COPYRIGHT(2021) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Starred review from May 31, 2021
Ever since her grandmother Dolcie B. Jacobs died in a car accident six months before the events of this book begin, fourth grader Trixy Mae Williams has struggled with school as her parents disappear into their own grief. Internalizing Gran’s rich oral storytelling, Trixy puts the tales to paper, despite Gran’s explicit instruction not to share them, and turns them in as her own—only to get punished for fibbing, as her teacher urges Trixy to use her natural storytelling gift to write “true” stories. When Trixy’s best friend Raymond’s father, a traveling musician, prepares to embark on a Tennessee-wide tour that auspiciously follows Gran’s pre-death plans, Trixy is desperate to go to “places like Memphis, where the music comes from every corner, draping like a blanket of sound to tuck in the town,” despite the disheartening roadblocks that materialize. Vrabel (the Newspaper Club series) offers a sympathetic majority white cast against a rich Tennessee setting; employing Trixy’s lively Southern voice and evocative descriptions to dig through her bramble of conflicting emotions, this cathartic narrative nimbly explores love, grief, revival, and what makes a tale true. Ages 8–12. Agent: Nicole Resciniti, the Seymour Agency.
Starred review from June 1, 2021
Gr 3-7-Vrabel's book of adventure and redemption beautifully intertwines stories from two generations. Trixy heard her last story from her grandmother just before the car accident that took her life and left Trixy scarred. Since the accident, Trixy's friendships, family, and schoolwork have been suffering. To improve her grades, Trixy has to write five stories, and she vividly retells her grandmother's wild tales to skeptical ears. To prove her stories are true, Trixy runs away with her best friend, Raymond, to retrace her grandmother's childhood memories. While running away has its problems, it mends her friendship, begins to heal her family, and proves that all of the stories were true. This is an outstanding book, and Trixy's struggles will resonate with readers. The suspense of Trixy's dilemmas and adventures, along with the excitement within her grandmother's stories, make this a page turner. Disparate story lines weave a multidimensional tale that ties together perfectly. Trixy's and her grandmother's voices will remind readers of Louisiana from Kate DiCamillo's Louisiana's Way Home, echoing a similarly fearless, independent, and spunky attitude. VERDICT Featuring a determined protagonist, this evocative tale of truth and healing is a must-purchase for all libraries.-Kate Rao, Alhambra Civic Center Lib., CA
Copyright 2021 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
Starred review from May 1, 2021
Stories, whether they are sad or happy--or both--reveal truths that make a difference and that can heal. Nothing illustrates this better than the stories about her childhood that Gran whispered into Trixy's ears, right up until her tragic death. Trixy feels better as she shares Gran's stories at school, but no one, not even her mother, believes they are true. Mama resents that Gran didn't talk about her past with her and struggles with her grief. Determined Trixy sets out to uncover the truth. She stows away on a road trip that her friend Raymond Crickett and his sister are taking with their dad's band. As it happens, many of the stops are places in Tennessee that Gran had outlined as tour stops for Mr. Crickett years before. Trixy narrates with spirit and insight, describing the present-day events and interspersing them with Gran's colorful stories about the past. Sure enough, Gran's tales provide a path to reunion and reconciliation. As the richly drawn characters, past and present, are introduced, their storylines and their lives become interwoven. Themes of love, abandonment, hardship, and triumph are explored. Difficult topics and dramatic revelations are softened by the leisurely pace and the humorous interactions between headstrong Trixy and sensible, sensitive Raymond. Most satisfying of all is that Gran's tales prepare Trixy for her own future. Main characters default to White. Poignant and uplifting. (Fiction. 8-12)
COPYRIGHT(2021) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.