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A review by lauriehnatiuk
Glitter Gets Everywhere by Yvette Clark
5.0
Thank you to Edelweiss+ and the publisher Harper Collins for a digital ARC of this title to read.
Glitter gets Everywhere is another book that needs to be in homes, classrooms and libraries. The reality is some kids have lost a parent through cancer, suicide or accidents. Thus the need is there to have books to address these scenarios to help readers see themselves and perhaps see ways to cope with that loss. I still struggle some days after losing my older father as an adult, so I can only imagine how difficult it would be for young readers.
Kitty lives with her father, her older sister Imogene and their cat Cleo in London and recently lost her mother to cancer. As expected, Kitty is having a hard time dealing with the loss of her mom, wanting to keep to herself and feeling lethargic. When an opportunity arises for her dad to work temporarily in New York, he decides that a change of scenery would do them all some good. Kitty wants to stay where things are comfortable and surrounded by people who love her. Everyone except Kitty is on board and even a bit excited to spend time in The Big Apple. Once in NYC, Kitty has new challenges and things to figure out. She has to deal with the fact there are no reminders of her mom, meet and make new friends, start a new school and wonder if the real reason why they moved is so her dad can be with someone he chatted with on an online grieving group.
Kitty does manage and finds people, in particular, Henry, a boy in her school and the two become confidants. Besides Henry, Kitty has many supportive adults. She has her gran (on her mother’s side), her godmother Kate and therapist Sam to support her. Even her mother has tried as much as possible to help Kitty and Imogene with letters written for future birthdays and Christmases. The fact that there are so many adults aware of Kitty’s situation is both refreshing and helpful. The prominent role of the therapist helping Kitty models for readers professionals are available and there to help, and we need to see more of this in middle-grade books.
Even though this book deals with an emotional topic, Yvette Clark balances it with some light-hearted distractions with Miss Allison and her beloved bulldog Sir Lancelot. Sir Lancelot struggles with his weight and walking, while Miss Allison loves to bake and has entered a televised baking competition. The constant baking and preparations for the show provide the relief needed by Kitty and perhaps readers. Kitty often helps Miss Allison with her recipes and proves to be another supportive adult.
Kitty has a quirky characteristic herself, sharing her love for paint colours and the stories behind how they are named. I was not aware of the paint company and had to investigate if this paint company did, in fact, exist. I am now a wee bit obsessed with Farrow and Ball and the stories behind their colour names. This book made me feel like I was sitting in a room that was both Mizzel #266, a combination of mist and drizzle described as the feeling of a soft and contented room and Dayroom Yellow #233, where the room gives off a sunny disposition, flooding the space with light and colour.
I have to mention the cities and how it is clear that Yvette Clarke spent time there modelling to readers to write what you know. I loved how I was transported back to NYC and London, and it felt like these two cities were characters in and of themselves helping Kitty move forward by the unique qualities each had to offer. If you have been to either city, you will feel like you are back there again, and for those who haven’t, you will get a feel for what makes NYC and London the captivating places they are to so many.
The title of the book is also something that will stick with me and explained by Kitty’s gran in a quote. “If you throw a handful of glitter in the air, even if you try your very best to clean it up, you’ll never get it all. I keep finding glitter tucked into unexpected corners. I suppose it will always be there.” This analogy just stopped me in my tracks because of its brilliance. There is always glitter somewhere and sometimes where you least expect it. You learn how to deal, accept and even be grateful for the glitter.
Lots of love for this modern-day story dealing with grief and a memorable main character Kitty, I will think of her whenever glitter and paint are mentioned. Another exceptional debut and I look forward to reading Yvette Clark’s second book.
FIRST LINE: I can’t decide if today is the second or third worst day of my life.
PICTURE BOOK PAIRINGS: Boats for Papa, The Boy and the Gorilla and Always Remember
SIMILAR TITLES: The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise
Right as Rain, My Father’s Words, and A Home for Goddesses and Dogs
SUBJECT HEADINGS/TAGS: Juvenile Fiction, Social Themes Death, Grief, Bereavement, New York City, London
Glitter gets Everywhere is another book that needs to be in homes, classrooms and libraries. The reality is some kids have lost a parent through cancer, suicide or accidents. Thus the need is there to have books to address these scenarios to help readers see themselves and perhaps see ways to cope with that loss. I still struggle some days after losing my older father as an adult, so I can only imagine how difficult it would be for young readers.
Kitty lives with her father, her older sister Imogene and their cat Cleo in London and recently lost her mother to cancer. As expected, Kitty is having a hard time dealing with the loss of her mom, wanting to keep to herself and feeling lethargic. When an opportunity arises for her dad to work temporarily in New York, he decides that a change of scenery would do them all some good. Kitty wants to stay where things are comfortable and surrounded by people who love her. Everyone except Kitty is on board and even a bit excited to spend time in The Big Apple. Once in NYC, Kitty has new challenges and things to figure out. She has to deal with the fact there are no reminders of her mom, meet and make new friends, start a new school and wonder if the real reason why they moved is so her dad can be with someone he chatted with on an online grieving group.
Kitty does manage and finds people, in particular, Henry, a boy in her school and the two become confidants. Besides Henry, Kitty has many supportive adults. She has her gran (on her mother’s side), her godmother Kate and therapist Sam to support her. Even her mother has tried as much as possible to help Kitty and Imogene with letters written for future birthdays and Christmases. The fact that there are so many adults aware of Kitty’s situation is both refreshing and helpful. The prominent role of the therapist helping Kitty models for readers professionals are available and there to help, and we need to see more of this in middle-grade books.
Even though this book deals with an emotional topic, Yvette Clark balances it with some light-hearted distractions with Miss Allison and her beloved bulldog Sir Lancelot. Sir Lancelot struggles with his weight and walking, while Miss Allison loves to bake and has entered a televised baking competition. The constant baking and preparations for the show provide the relief needed by Kitty and perhaps readers. Kitty often helps Miss Allison with her recipes and proves to be another supportive adult.
Kitty has a quirky characteristic herself, sharing her love for paint colours and the stories behind how they are named. I was not aware of the paint company and had to investigate if this paint company did, in fact, exist. I am now a wee bit obsessed with Farrow and Ball and the stories behind their colour names. This book made me feel like I was sitting in a room that was both Mizzel #266, a combination of mist and drizzle described as the feeling of a soft and contented room and Dayroom Yellow #233, where the room gives off a sunny disposition, flooding the space with light and colour.
I have to mention the cities and how it is clear that Yvette Clarke spent time there modelling to readers to write what you know. I loved how I was transported back to NYC and London, and it felt like these two cities were characters in and of themselves helping Kitty move forward by the unique qualities each had to offer. If you have been to either city, you will feel like you are back there again, and for those who haven’t, you will get a feel for what makes NYC and London the captivating places they are to so many.
The title of the book is also something that will stick with me and explained by Kitty’s gran in a quote. “If you throw a handful of glitter in the air, even if you try your very best to clean it up, you’ll never get it all. I keep finding glitter tucked into unexpected corners. I suppose it will always be there.” This analogy just stopped me in my tracks because of its brilliance. There is always glitter somewhere and sometimes where you least expect it. You learn how to deal, accept and even be grateful for the glitter.
Lots of love for this modern-day story dealing with grief and a memorable main character Kitty, I will think of her whenever glitter and paint are mentioned. Another exceptional debut and I look forward to reading Yvette Clark’s second book.
FIRST LINE: I can’t decide if today is the second or third worst day of my life.
PICTURE BOOK PAIRINGS: Boats for Papa, The Boy and the Gorilla and Always Remember
SIMILAR TITLES: The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise
Right as Rain, My Father’s Words, and A Home for Goddesses and Dogs
SUBJECT HEADINGS/TAGS: Juvenile Fiction, Social Themes Death, Grief, Bereavement, New York City, London