Reviews tagging 'Child abuse'

The Fire, the Water and Maudie McGinn by Sally J. Pla

10 reviews

literatehedgehog's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful inspiring medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

Wow that was a tour de force. Painful at times, but humorous and heartfelt and all the things middle grade novels should be. There is friendship, and new hobbies, and self discovery, but also deep pain and shame. The resolution is not the grand comeuppance or dramatic reveal, but its smallness and quietude is powerful.

Read with care: physical and mental abuse of a child, notably a child with a disability.
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imstephtacular's review

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adventurous dark hopeful reflective sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

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libscote's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful medium-paced
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
Maudie lives with her mom, who wants her to keep secrets, to shove everything down. Her favorite time of year is when she summers with her dad. This summer is different: there are wildfires in northern California, and they have to flee the cabin her dad built with his bare hands. Can Maudie keep all the secrets inside while her life is in upheaval? This is another strong book for the MSBA list, as well as being yet another one that made me cry. 
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megyeager's review

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emotional inspiring tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

5.0

I really loved the way that Maudie evolved as a character throughout this book. She was able to express herself within her own abilities and boundaries in a way that she wasn't before. I also liked that this book taught that keeping secrets with adults is something to be wary of. So many kids aren't taught about the danger of keeping secrets and it leaves them feeling as if they need to hide abuse to keep the secret safe. The depiction of autism in this story was also very honest and it was clear that the author both did her research and had some level of personal experience.  I would recommend this to my middle schoolers, but not my elementary school kids. The direction of abuse seems a bit too much for that age range.
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jkribbit's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional hopeful informative inspiring sad tense
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

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cboddie's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

5th & up
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jebecky's review

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challenging emotional hopeful informative medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

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naomiysl's review

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adventurous emotional slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

Would have been a 5 for the writing style, I love the way the prose gives way to verse when strong emotions are present, all the characters are well-rounded and the portrayal of different adult reactions to neurodiverse kids are spot on. Plus, having grown up near the beach in question, I can confidently say the author completely nailed the vibe. But I took a star off for one thing, which is a spoiler so I'm hiding it.
the whole book is centered on the problem of whether it's more important to keep a promise or more important to tel la secret when it's hurting you. And so it really bugs me that Maudie did not have to solve that problem. Instead, her stepdad abuses her in public, taking the need to tell anybody out of the equation. I'm not mad at the fairy-tale ending of safe adults knowing meaning that everything is taken care of, I'm just mad that she doesn't really have to tell.
Aside from that, great book. Will recommend it. 
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xangemtheelibrarian's review against another edition

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challenging emotional hopeful medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

This book literally packs a punch carrying the force of a tsunami. Navigating abuse as a child is already hard, even more so when you are a neurodivergent child. Honestly a surprisingly dark and intensely challenging book for middle graders with a hopeful ending.
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bookdragonshay's review

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emotional hopeful inspiring reflective fast-paced

4.75

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