Kate Messner

Amazing book! Step aside Northern Lights, we want to see ice flowers! (Thanks to this book, I have a vivid picture of them in my mind. And of the frozen lake where the story plays!)

Before I read this, I wouldn't have believed it possible to write an age-appropriate book about a sibling with a heroin addiction. Kate Messner handles the complex topics deftly and gently. What I also love about this book is that it's more than this one topic. Rich story world includes Irish dancing show more competitions, ice fishing, and true-to-life friendships with all their blessings and challenges. An enjoyable and fascinating and hopeful riff on a classic fairy tale! Hats off to a master author! show less

In rage and grief over his father's passing, Finn wants to kick his father's cemetery headstone. Because it's not structured to be kicked over, instead he kicks over a headstone belonging to Edna Grace Thomas. Edna was the "trail mother" of the Adirondack High Peaks. She encouraged hikers in their exploration of the mountains and they wrote her letters about their hikes. As reparation for Finn's vandalism, Edna's daughter Kelly suggests than Finn climb all 46 peaks during his summer break. show more Additionally, Finn has been struggling in school and must make up a writing assignment of 20 poems in order to advance from 7th grade. Finn, of course, is sullen about doing reparation and completing the assignment. He has no choice however, and after weeks of climbing mountains and working through understanding his father's complexities, Finn finds his redemption. The inclusion of photos in Finn's texts to his mother is a nice touch although they appear muddy and monochromatic at times. Overall, a perceptive story of emotional growth through pain and the healing power of nature. show less

Finn Connelly and his mom moved back to upstate New York to live with his grandma during the pandemic, while Finn's dad stayed behind in NYC, working as a paramedic - and then he died. Finn is grieving and angry, thinking his dad chose others over his family, and the family chocolate shop is in trouble. When Finn kicks over Edna Grace's headstone in a cemetery, Edna's daughter Kelly suggests an unusual way to make reparations: climb all 46 Adirondack peaks, along with her mother's dog. Finn show more is NOT happy, but his mom agrees on his behalf. "Trail nannies" climb with Finn: an observant, chatty cow farmer; a rock climber; and Finn's dad's old hockey coach (and AA companion).

A summer of hiking does change Finn, slowly, and help him begin feeling and expressing his grief (a teaspoon at a time). He invents a different cookie recipe for each mountain peak and suggests selling them at the chocolate shop to help stave off having to close (some recipes are included!). He also learns more about his father through letters he received from Edna Grace, who kept track of the "46ers." Finn's dad suffered from PTSD after September 11 and struggled with drinking during Finn's lifetime.

Novel in verse (poems for Finn's English class), letters, and text messages.

*Spoilers*

Finn's father's toxicology report, for which Finn searches all summer, is clean of substances, but he tested positive for COVID-19. In a small-world twist, Edna's daughter Kelly was the woman he carried out of one of the towers on 9/11; Kelly saved hikers' letters to her mother and gave Finn's dad's letters to Finn. Also there is a bear attack - but THE DOG SURVIVES.

Quotes/notes

Recipe for Cascade-and-Porter Cookies p. 81

The nightmares never leave. They never fade.
And heroes aren't allowed to be afraid. (153)

...when the world / was too sad to breathe. (234)

Some things are just tough
and there's no way around
the hard parts.
Only through.
Sometimes there's no good path -
just a bad way and a worse way -
so you might as well choose one
and get started. (256)

Maybe grief is that way, too...
Maybe some gets turned into other things
the way your trail mix turns into energy.
Fuel to use when you need it.
Muscle to power you through. (305)

Sometimes people seem like sort of a mess when really they're just doing their best. (351) show less

Readers can see from the cover that the Terrifying Kitten is, in fact, adorable, and not scary at all. Narration in second person attempts to convince readers, with attempted warnings, that something very scary is on the very next page ("Are you sure you want to turn the page?"). But when it's finally time to "Behold the terror!" it's just a whole crew of adorable baby animals (e.g. spooky baby goat, dangerously prickly hedgehog). When a truly menacing shadow creeps around the door and onto show more the wall, there's a moment of tension and suspense....but it's only a friendly, curly-haired girl, reading to give the animals their bath.

See also: There's A Monster in This Book; I Want to Be in a Scary Story show less