The Mailbox

It's pretty rare when I absolutely lose it during a book. This was one of those books. This is not a sad book per say but just incredibly touching! My oldest Hailey is a big time book worm. This girl reads stacks of books weekly. I have to remind her when I go to bed at 10:00 p.m. that it is time to turn her light off and get some sleep. She told me in no uncertain terms that this book is a book I have to read! Well, I began reading it last night and it gripped me right away.

It is a story of a 12 year old boy named Gabe. He has been in foster homes most of his young life. He has lived with his uncle Vernon for a few short years and comes home from school to find him dead. (Don't get worried) He doesn't know what to do about it and feels a sense of loss and is afraid. He goes to school the next day, not sure what to do and afraid if he tells the authorities they will wonder why he didn't tell them when he found his uncle the day before. Gabe returns home from school that day to find a green envelope in the mailbox and a note inside. The note reads I have a secret. Do not be afraid. He find his uncle's body gone and a sandwich inside waiting for him...

I will not tell you what happens in this book. It is an incredible story of what this young boy faces and how he deals with the loss of this incredible man in his life. A few times during this book I thought to myself, "I can't believe my 10 year old daughter read this, what did she think of it?" It was a glimpse into how much these kids soak in. She loved the book. She is one of those kids who has always needed the story as it is, no fluff. She is too mature for her age as was I. She asks questions that are things a teenager would ask. I find that I have to be real and honest with her, that's how she deals with things. Abby on the other hand still believes in Peter Pan so I have to keep things light and happy with her, that's how she digests them.

Hailey and I were talking the other day and she told me she would like to have a book blog. I told her that was a great idea. So, in the next week or so, I will help her start a blog. I will, of course, keep her name and identity concealed and will e-mail you directly the blog address. As a mom of an avid reader, I am always looking for age appropriate books for her to read. She does a good job of sifting through these herself and hands me books many times that she feels are inappropriate for her, and I appreciate her honesty. This is a good opportunity for you to share with her books you think she would like and to take the book reviews she shares in hopes it will provide something for you and your children to read.