Aleesah Darlison, Grace the Amazing, Wombat Books, May 2024, 140 pp., RRP $26.99 (hbk), ISBN 9781761111174
Curious, creative Grace dreams of becoming a magician called Grace the Amazing. And the sooner, the better. Because eleven-year-old Grace is on a mission to cure her beloved art teacher and only friend, Pamela, who is gravely ill.
This simple premise ushers young readers through a gamut of experiences and emotions as the world of determined, free-spirited Grace is rocked by the fragilities of life. As adults, we have grown to know how love and loss are irreparably intertwined, but for children, death is somewhat unfathomable until it becomes personal.
With 65 books (and counting) under her belt, Darlison hits the mark in this middle grade offering, crafting a balanced, meaningful account of how to say goodbye to someone you love. Voiced by the quirky, charismatic Grace, the story is based on Darlison’s experience with a teacher who made an indelible mark on her life, one she lost many, many years ago, though only learned this much later in life. In the words of the author, Grace the Amazing “has allowed me to heal, to deal with my loss, and to say what I should have said. It offers me a second chance.”
Readers aged 8-11 will find value and solace in this heartfelt tale.
Reviewed by Maura Pierlot