Publication date UK format 3/5/22 book 236 pages
I would like to thank the author, publishers and Netgalley for allowing me to pick this to read and review all my reviews are honest.
Synopsis
Wish Upon a Crawdad takes place in rural America during the waning years of the Great Depression. Times are still lean, but there are glimmers of hope—especially for resourceful kids, like Ruby Mae Ryan.
Ruby isn't your typical, depression-era twelve-year-old. For one thing, she's got a jar full of coins, thanks to her crawdad business and other odd jobs. But she doesn't let the money go to her head. She's too busy trying to make more. That's because she's got something special in mind, and time is running out. So, Ruby calls on crawdads for help.
A lot of people wish on the first star at night. Ruby does that, too, but she also wishes on the first crawdad of the day. She figures the odds are better. "Not many folks wish upon a crawdad," Ruby says. To convince doubters of their magic, Ruby points to a wish coming true as the story unfolds. Electricity: she's never had it--no one in the valley has--until she wished upon a crawdad.
But now, Ruby has another wish. She wants something so badly she won't even say what it is out loud, afraid that might jinx the wish. Instead, Ruby calls it her "secret surprise." The only other people who know about it are Daddy and her best friend, Virginia. And they'll never tell. Or will they?
Wish Upon a Crawdad is all about friendship and adversity, courage and fear, heartbreak and triumph, and it has as many channels and curves as the creek running through it. Along the way, Ruby searches for a legendary place called Crawdad Haven, kisses a pig, "dances" with an angry dog, escapes death, and even has a chance encounter with a famous dignitary. Not bad for a twelve-year-old, crawdad-catching girl from farm country.
Historical note: The story unfolds during a pivotal time in America. The Great Depression is not yet a memory, and the country is only eighteen months from another world war. Ninety percent of villages and farms don’t have electricity. But that’s begun to change, thanks to rural residents banding together to form their own power companies called rural electric cooperatives. Such is the backdrop for the story, which takes place in 1940 in a valley near the fictional village of Crossroads, Oregon. It’s a fitting name, given rural America—and the entire country—are at the brink of a new age.
My Review
This was a fantastic book. Me and my 10 yr old daughter read it between us before bed each evening. We both thoroughly enjoyed the story.
The cover is so beautiful and really depicts the story very well. It mainly follows the friendship of 2 girls both from different backgrounds. It contains great life lessons. It also shows what it was like living in an American rural town that had no electricity. It had a wonderful sense of community as they come together for the big electricity switch on. The story was wonderful and so beautifully wrote that had plenty going on to keep your attention. I just loved the development of the characters especially the main character as they go through various life challenges.
I really do recommend this book for children aged 9 plus. Also adults will become emmursed in this wonderful story and will definitely appreciate the beauty of the story. I will definitely looking out for more books by this fantastic author.
So much praise goes out to the author and publishers for creating this wonderful story that children and adults will not be able to put down.
Where you can buy this book
Amazon US K UNLIMITED OR $7.99, HC $17.99, PB $10.99
Waterstones HC £13.99 PB £8.99
B&N HC $17.99 PB $10.99
Amazon UK K UNLIMITED OR £6.49, HC £14.40, PB £8.80
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HAPPY READING