Recently, I have been impressed with several middle grade novels and nonfiction picture books I have read. Having taught Survey of Children's Literature while an English professor, I have been quite critical of some of the books I've come across. Because of this one book, I realized some of the current books actually are quite wonderful. Miraculous, by Jess Redman caught my attention. It is mainly a book about grief and the many forms it takes, including the belief in miracles. Wunder, the main character and his friend, Faye Jin-Min Lee, are both on a quest to understand. Wunder had been a believer of miracles until his baby sister of eight days died in the hospital. Having lost faith in miracles, he turns his back on his two best friends. He first sees Faye, a believer in many things, including witchcraft, at the service, where the Minister of Consolation (this is actually funny) yells, "Behold! I tell you a miracle!" From there, the book takes on its theme: Wunder, with Faye's insistence, begins to believe that the old woman who lives in a strange house called The DoorWay House, may have some supernatural abilities. As a reader, I was in suspense as the old woman hands Wunder and Faye letter after letter to people who have experienced grief (or miracles--the two become intertwined). The book is clearly written for the middle grade reader, its vocabulary neither too simplistic nor complex--it's perfect. The metaphors are constant, yet perfectly explained (the stone in his heart is a recurring one). I highly recommend this book for any child between 8-11, but especially for those who have experienced an unbearable loss.
