Miracle by Karen S. Chow

Abstract

Reviewed by: Miracle by Karen S. Chow Danica Ronquillo Chow, Karen S. Miracle; illus. by Vera Rosenberry. Ottaviano/Little, 2023 [256p] Trade ed. ISBN 9780316333726 $16.99 E-book ed. ISBN 9780316333924 $9.99 Reviewed from digital galleys R Gr. 5-7 Amie’s life in Arizona is full of love and harmony: the Chinese-American girl plays violin in her middle school orchestra, she has close-knit friends like Rio and Bella who love Harry Potter as much as she does, and she has a strong bond with her father. Ba-ba, however, has been diagnosed with cancer, and despite treatment, Amie’s father passes away, changing her life forever. Overwhelmed with sadness and guilt for not being present when he died, Amie begins to distance herself from her mother and best friends and loses her passion and ability to play the violin. Fortunately, friends and family share with Amie how they each cope differently after a loss, from learning how to bond through shared activities to attending therapy sessions to heal and understand others’ grief. Told in a first-person perspective, this lyrical narrative weaves in musical elements to effectively describe the complexity of Amie’s grief and its effects on her love for music: “My head filled with a gong, each hit louder than the last . . . the cymbals crashed in my head . . . Music used to be my life. Crash.” Amie’s journey ultimately leads her to accept new harmonies in her life to guide her to a melodic place that allows for highs and lows; fans of When You Trap a Tiger (BCCB 12/19) will find this poignant middle grade novel valuable. End matter includes an author’s note and music glossary. Copyright © 2023 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois