alisoninbookland
Written on Dec 21, 2018
Finding Esme is a real slice of small-town life. I'm just throwing that out there because not everyone enjoys quirky, southern turns of phrase. I, however, enjoyed it because it made the small town come to life and characters became people I know.
"Finding" has a big role in the story. Esme has an inkling of her grandma Bee's 'finding' gift. They can find things (and people) for their friends and family. Finding Esme is a coming-of-age story so Esme is forced to think about how everything that is lost doesn't necessarily need or want to be found. That's a tough lesson to learn especially for a young girl. Then there's Esme's big find...dinosaur bones on her family farm.
I particularly enjoyed how Finding Esme had a timeless feel to the story. I initially thought it was a fairly contemporary story. There are mentions of phone booths and party lines that make you think it's a historical novel. Then we have a mention of a tea cup pig that people get as pets which makes me think the story is a bit more modern. All these elements work together and allow the reader to place the story anytime in history they'd like. This works well and will allow the story to hold up in time.
All in all, Finding Esme is a charming Southern story about growing up. Perfect for young readers looking for magical realism, mysteries, and friendship.
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