Forever Glimmer Creek

February 15, 2020
Every year one person in Glimmer Creek survives great danger, after which they seem to acquire subtle magical abilities. Spurred in large part by a longing to impress the actor father she's never met, right now filming only two hours away, 12-year-old budding film director Rosie Flynn is determined to make a documentary about her town's Miracles and premiere it at its Festival of the Fish. Solving the 100-year-old mystery of what causes them would prove she has real talent as a filmmaker. But Rosie, who has secretly invited her father to the showing, has only 17 days to make the movie! She enlists her two best friends, Henry and Cam (all together they are HenRoCam), to help. These three have always been there for one another, but everything seems to be different once they start seventh grade. Hackney authentically covers a lot of middle school ground in this well-crafted debut. Rosie grapples with changing friendships, worries that she and her mother no longer seem "snapped together like the two halves of Mama's locket," and even questions if the Miracles are real. By turns gripping and suspenseful, especially when Henry goes missing, and also emotionally insightful, the story weaves together small-town lore (a 100-year-old skeleton, lost treasure) with a strong sense of community in which love, kindness, and faith quietly emerge. Most characters seem white; Cam has light-brown skin. Readers will be caught up as the lens through which this likable protagonist sees her world expands. (recipes) (Fiction. 8-12)

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March 1, 2020

Gr 4-6-Glimmer Creek is known for its Miracles. Every year, one lucky resident receives a potentially life-changing Miracle. Seventh grader Rosie is an aspiring filmmaker who is enthralled with the Miracles and is determined to make a documentary to prove they are real. She struggles to make her film when her best friends, Henry and Cam, suddenly become busy with new friends and new interests. Meanwhile, her mom and Sheriff Parker seem to be a little too friendly for Rosie's comfort. With all of these obstacles, will Rosie be able to finish her documentary in time and make up with her friends? Although this book focuses a lot on the Miracles of Glimmer Creek, it is really a story about friendship, family, and how those things can change as you grow up. Kids will relate to Rosie, who tries to do the right thing but sometimes makes mistakes and has to figure out how to right them. Hackney perfectly captures the challenges of navigating middle school when your interests do not align with those of your friends and classmates, as well as the confusion of friends growing apart. VERDICT Part realistic fiction and part mystery, this character-driven book is a good read for kids who enjoyed Ingrid Law's Savvy and Natalie Lloyd's A Snicker of Magic.-Kristin Williamson, Metropolitan Library System, Oklahoma

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