Review by Booklist Review
Imagine a meaningful piece of family history making its way to you completely by chance. That is what happens in McDonough's story. In the beginning, set in early twentieth-century New York, a young girl named Sarah accidentally breaks her bubbe's blue glass bowl. Sarah rescues a small, heart-shaped piece of glass, which she later loses at the beach. The story follows the glass as it travels through the ocean to Florida and then Venezuela. In each place, a child finds the glass and loses it again in the water. At last, it is found in Tel Aviv, and a young immigrant brings it along on her family's journey to the U.S. Eventually, she presents it to her friend Ruth--who, we learn, is the great-granddaughter of the Sarah who originally broke the bowl. The piece of glass has journeyed not only around the world but also through time. Fedele's full-page illustrations bring the global seascapes and children to life with calming blues and a bit of sparkle. A fanciful vision of global and familial connectedness.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
A shard of glass connects a family through time and distance. Sarah, a Jewish girl who lives in early 20th-century New York City, accidentally breaks her Bubbe's glass bowl. She is lovingly forgiven and saves a heart-shaped piece of glass, which she takes with her to Coney Island the next day. Playing in the sand, Sarah loses the piece in the ocean; it travels the waves and currents to Florida and then Venezuela before washing ashore in Tel Aviv, Israel. Yael, playing on the beach, finds it and carries it with her to New York, her new home. It is an alien place to her except for Ruth, a girl who befriends her on the playground. Yael gifts Ruth the glass. When Ruth shows it to her mother, she hears a family story from generations ago about a broken bowl. Is this Sarah's heart-shaped piece? McDonough has crafted a warm story of family love, intergenerational ties, and friendship. At the crux of it is that beautifully compelling found object. Colorful illustrations gently convey beach scenes and ocean expanses. Those looking for a tale of memories from generations past will find it here. Main characters are light-skinned. A quiet and loving story that lingers. (Picture book. 4-7) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
