Scan barcode
A review by toebean5
Stepping Stones by Lucy Knisley
4.0
This... may be one of my favorites from Lucy Knisley. (Although I'm holding out and have high hopes for a Linney/cat-themed book!) The characters are very relatable (which they should be, since they are so very autobiographical), and since I've always loved farms and farmers markets, etc, that was a nice environment to find myself in within this book.
Also welcome was that while I kind of (really) didn't like the way her mom's boyfriend talked to her or how dismissive the adults were of her unhappiness, it felt very real. At first I was like, "Your mom needs to ditch this dbag and appreciate that you didn't ask to live on a farm." But... that's not what happens in real life. In most middle grade books like this, there's a "Oh wow, I didn't realize I was hurting your feelings, young one- I'm just learning and trying my best and we're going to be great friends now" sort of moment. Which is so unrealistic. This book frames it more like, "Yeah, he's annoying. You're not imagining it." Which is very validating for a kid.
Adults are sometimes snarky and annoying but your mom is dating them. It sucks. And your mom's dream of being a farmer may end up being great and fulfilling (which I believe it was) or she could fizzle out and you move back to the city in a couple of years. But you really do not have control over those things. The validation of her emotions came from her peers- and sometimes that's what happens. The adults don't listen or appreciate the feelings of young people, and you have to find support from others your age. I think that's an important lesson for kids. She writes in the afterword, "One of the worst things about being a kid is finding yourself in these situations where you have no control over the decisions the adults are making that affect you." And I think that's so true- and why kids need books where they can see other kids doing well despite that.
Also welcome was that while I kind of (really) didn't like the way her mom's boyfriend talked to her or how dismissive the adults were of her unhappiness, it felt very real. At first I was like, "Your mom needs to ditch this dbag and appreciate that you didn't ask to live on a farm." But... that's not what happens in real life. In most middle grade books like this, there's a "Oh wow, I didn't realize I was hurting your feelings, young one- I'm just learning and trying my best and we're going to be great friends now" sort of moment. Which is so unrealistic. This book frames it more like, "Yeah, he's annoying. You're not imagining it." Which is very validating for a kid.
Adults are sometimes snarky and annoying but your mom is dating them. It sucks. And your mom's dream of being a farmer may end up being great and fulfilling (which I believe it was) or she could fizzle out and you move back to the city in a couple of years. But you really do not have control over those things. The validation of her emotions came from her peers- and sometimes that's what happens. The adults don't listen or appreciate the feelings of young people, and you have to find support from others your age. I think that's an important lesson for kids. She writes in the afterword, "One of the worst things about being a kid is finding yourself in these situations where you have no control over the decisions the adults are making that affect you." And I think that's so true- and why kids need books where they can see other kids doing well despite that.