written and illustrated by Eliza Wheeler
New York: Nancy Paulsen Books, 2019
In 1932, six year old Marvel, her mother, and her seven brothers and sisters must find a new place to live after their father dies. They move into a tar paper shack in the Wisconsin woods and begin to make it their home. They discover berry patches and trout streams and the little wonders of each day. Throughout the difficult times, they find that love can ease even the darkest hours.
This book really struck me upon the first reading, and still does so on the second read. The author tells the story of her grandmother Marvel (age six), her widowed mother Clara (34), and her seven siblings (age 3 months to 14) after they are evicted from their home during the Great Depression and must move to a shack in the woods. The artwork is absolutely gorgeous and the words are both cheerful and haunting by turn. The image of Clara in bed with her children that accompanies the text 'But Mum stays awake into the night...whispering to the stars.' is so poignant.
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