Pam Muñoz Ryan

I wanted to like this book; I really did. And there were parts about it -- the opening "frame" story, for instance, as well as quite a bit of Ivy's story -- that I did really like. But most of it was just aggravating. The author seems to have very little faith in (or respect for) her reader. Every emotion a character might have is spelled out, every nuance is hammered home. Every loose end is tied up in a little bow. You are left nothing of interest to think about for yourself. There's no reason kids' books have to be this way; it's insulting to the intelligence of the average 10-year-old, much less anyone older than that.

I managed to finish this book, but it's going to take an awful lot to get me to pick up another from the same author.… (more)