Review by Booklist Review
Finn Connelly's dad was a 9/11 hero who left big boots to fill when he died during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Two years later, still consumed by anger and frustration at his loss, Finn topples a tombstone belonging to a beloved trail steward, Edna. Edna's daughter offers Finn a deal: reparations in lieu of juvie. She charges him with hiking all 46 of Edna's beloved Adirondack High Peaks this summer, and to do it with Edna's slobbery dog, Seymour, in tow. Finn sets off, carrying his unresolved grief and snacks. Long hikes with volunteer trail "nannies" offer Finn wilderness education, along with solitude to process his loss, while a summer-school poetry assignment creates an outlet for the complicated emotions Finn unravels while remembering his father. Many mountains in, Finn begrudgingly admits he "didn't mean to love it but [he does]," and he ultimately finds peace and a connection with both Edna and his dad along the trails. The dynamic story is told in accessible verse interspersed with texts, photographs, and more, while Finn's journey delicately balances humor and sadness, blending introspection and plot. Prolific author Messner, herself "a proud 46er," tenderly proffers the healing power of nature couched with obvious admiration for the mountains. A gently reflective, bittersweet, and redemptive story.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
After sullen seventh grader Finn Connelly is detained for damaging the headstone of late local hero Edna Grace Thomas, who once corresponded with and encouraged climbers of the 46 Adirondack peaks, Finn sees the event as further proof that he exists in stark contrast to his deceased fireman father, whose heroism on 9/11 was captured in an iconic photograph. Rather than press charges for the damage, Edna's daughter offers Finn the opportunity to make amends by summiting every peak by Labor Day with Edna's dog, Seymour. Despite feeling bitter and uncooperative, Finn begins the effort alongside experienced volunteers while simultaneously completing an overdue English class poetry assignment about heroes. As Finn contends with dog drool, mud, and red slime, he gains a new understanding of the impact his father (who "carried things heavier/ than the lady he lifted/ out of the smoke") had on his life. Messner (Chirp), an experienced Adirondack 46er, mixes moving and profoundly funny verse and prose informed by postpandemic loss to craft a timely meditation on grief, anger, and the solace offered by nature. Main characters cue as white. Ages 9--14. Agent: Jennifer Laughran, Andrea Brown Literary. (Apr.)
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Review by Horn Book Review
When seventh grader Finn Connelly is caught on a surveillance camera kicking over a headstone in a local Lake Placid cemetery, little does he know it was the grave of Edna Grace Thomas, "Queen of the High Peaks," one of the first women 46ers: those who have climbed all forty-six Adirondack High Peaks. Edna's daughter, Kelly, sets Finn on a mission of atonement: to climb all forty-six mountains in memory of her mother. She suspects that Finn can use what the peaks offer: "The power to heal. / To help a troubled soul find peace. / Make a broken person whole." Finn begins a hero's journey, accompanied by Seymour, "the most slobbery, / drooly-faced, / smelly-furred, / farty-butted dog / in the world," along with a series of 46er "trail nannies," and soon realizes that "the trouble with long hikes / is that your brain has to come with you." He has plenty of time to think about the mess he has made of his life recently and about his anger and grief over the (unprocessed) loss of his father two years earlier. Messner relates Finn's story through an animated first-person narrative and through the poems Finn must write for a school project, mixing in text messages with his mother, letters to his English teacher, cookie recipes, and more. This verse novel covers a lot of ground, literally and metaphorically, and thoughtfully grapples with the big ideas of life. Dean SchneiderMarch/April 2025 p.77 (c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
A summer spent summiting the Adirondacks allows a teenager to reckon with grief. Thirteen-year-old Finn Connelly's summer is off to a rocky start. In addition to several incomplete class assignments--including a poetry project about heroes--he's facing vandalism charges after an angry outburst at the local cemetery. To avoid paying thousands in fines that his family can't spare, he reluctantly agrees to the proffered alternative: climbing all 46 Adirondack peaks over 4,000 feet by Labor Day accompanied by Seymour, the enthusiastic dog who belonged to the woman whose headstone he damaged. As Finn attempts the hikes, he wrestles with what it means to be a hero, a term often used for his deceased father, a local hockey legend, New York City firefighter, 9/11 first responder, and paramedic who died on the front lines of the Covid-19 pandemic. This verse novel is engaging and easy to follow. It encompasses varied structures, like haiku, sonnet, and found poetry. Other ephemera, such as letters, recipes, and school progress reports, create visual breaks evocative of a commonplace book. The first-person narration vividly conveys a disgruntled teenager's feelings, including moments of humor and contemplation. The novel wrestles with loss and legacy intertwined with weighty events, challenges, and themes--PTSD, alcoholism, toxic masculinity--and their resulting impact on Finn's emotional well-being. The supporting characters are encouraging adult role models. Characters present white. An adventurous work whose authentic voice celebrates the outdoors and everyday heroism. (author's note)(Verse fiction. 10-14) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
