A Gift From Above
You know those kids you see in the grocery stores? The ones who always get whatever they ask for? The ones who throw fits sand scream: "I want that!" The ones you cringe at as you walk by? Well, Celia Meyers is one of those little girls. Which is why when she is no longer an only child, what starts out as magic and fantasies turns into a hellish nightmare for her. But soon, things get even worse when she's convinced her family has shunned her. So she remembers the one person whom always loved her no matter what she did - her old nanny, Millie. But Celia isn't even sure where Millie lives, and finds herself wondering more and more why the nanny left so suddenly years ago.
Praise and Reviews
Joel Kirpatrick (Colorado, USA) 4 Stars -
Celia Meyers - who is perhaps the smartest person she has ever met, is convinced that everyone in her family is out to get her. And, she is also completely invisible to them. That absurdity is all the more fun to us, because she never seems to catch on. All of her terrible troubles began, when her brother Aden was born.
This feels like a peek into Ms. Paye's childhood diaries; these words are at least the daily ramblings of Celia's troubled life, exactly the things Celia would write down. They are a scream to read, because Celia begins talking to us when she is eight. She is matter-of-fact, and very polite, and we roll with tears in our eyes.
We have been there. Some of us can still remember it well. And we see all this in our children.
Ms. Paye has calculated as she has written, and we hardly notice, because we are having too much fun; Celia is growing up. The eight year old stopped babbling long ago. There is still the invisibility problem, and punishments that are never warranted, because her brother caused the whole mess for her. But, very subtly, we aren't following a child. It is a beautiful slight-of-hand (and text). Eight years pass, and many secrets are revealed. The least of which, Celia understands herself, very well. So did the author who wrote this precious little bit of her life.
I am going to find out if my kids like it.
Joyce Paclik (Illinois, USA) 5 Stars -
IN READING THIS BOOK IT WAS VERY INTERESTING. IT WAS HARD TO PUT THIS BOOK DOWN WITHOUT PROCEEDING FURTHER. I FOUND THIS READING MATERIAL VERY CLOSE TO THE HEART READING. IT IS A BOOK I WOULD RECOMMEND FOR ALL THE GENERAL PUBLIC. THIS YOUNG WRITER I FEEL WILL GO VERY FAR IN WRITING MORE BOOKS IN THE NEAR FUTURE.