Book Review: Kepler's Dream by Juliet Bell

A young girl makes her fractured family whole again with the help of a very special book

When eleven-year-old Ella's mother has to be hospitalized to undergo a dangerous cancer treatment, Ella spends the summer at "Broken Family Camp" with her eccentric grandmother, whom she's never met. The situation is hardly ideal for either of them. Ella is scared her mother may die, but her grandmother seems to care more about her library full of books than she does about her very own granddaughter.

But when a rare and beloved book, Kepler's Dream of the Moon, is stolen from her grandmother's amazing library, Ella and her new friend Rosie make up their minds to find it. Finding the beautiful book her grandmother loves so much could even be the key to healing Ella's broken family.

An affecting and beautifully written story of family, forgiveness and the wonder of the stars, Kepler's Dream is a sparkling and memorable debut. (Description from http://www.amazon.com)

My thoughts:

I have really tried to search out and read some excellent Children's Literature lately. Why? Well, last year I read far too few.  Lots of Young Adult, lots of Adult Fiction, too little Juvenile Fiction.  Second, I want our library book bag to be filled with some good stuff. Lately my boys have been reading a lot of graphic novels/Wimpy Kid/Big Nate which is fine once in a while, but I want them reading novels. If I have read it, it always seems easier to talk it up. Kepler's Dream has been on my radar for a while and I finally found it on the shelf. The big hurdle in recommending the book to my own children is the fact that the main character is a girl. Not an easy task.

I really enjoyed it. More than I anticipated. The book is marketed as a mystery. I am not a huge mystery reader, but it had a great balance between a mystery and a family story, and that is probably why I liked it.  The missing book was almost secondary. The story was so well-written and it is always nice to read a book that has some smartly written girls. Ella has a good kind heart, she is charming and has a great sense of humor. She is placed in a difficult situation and navigates through it bravely.  I really enjoyed seeing how the relationship with her Grandmother (The GM) evolved from the beginning of the story until the end.  Her Grandmother is a bit of a pip in the beginning but redeems herself in the end. 

I would recommend this book for ages 10 and up. Without a whole lot of action, it would be appropriate for a child who likes a book that has a lot of feelings. Since I can't see my boys reading it, I will book-talk it to my nieces... I know they will enjoy it.