Reviewed by Catherine Taunton
Review Source: Reading Is Resistance
Book Author: Molly Beth Griffin
None of this was easy. Maybe it would never be easy. But she belonged with Gram now. She belonged here now.
This place wasn’t empty and neither was she.
In Ten Beautiful Things by Molly Beth Griffin, the main character, Lily, goes through a big change in her life. She is seen moving across Iowa with her grandma, or Gram, to start her new life with her. Lily is struggling to adjust to this change, feeling anxious, sad, and “hollow.” Change is never easy, especially one this big, and definitely not as a child. Gram tries to ease Lily’s nerves on the way by encouraging them to find ten beautiful things along the way before they reach their destination. Stuck in a car, Lily struggles at first to acknowledge any beauty in the situation, but as the sun begins to rise, she finally starts to see it. This sunrise symbolizes the beginning of Lily’s adjustment to change. Throughout the book, they spot the sunrise, a wind farm, a red-winged blackbird, a gurgling creek, a falling-apart barn, the smell of mud, a cloud shaped like a swan, a little brown calf, a dark thunderstorm, and themselves.
I would recommend this book for children with atypical family dynamics or those going through life changes. It may also be a good read for children to prepare themselves for any change that may happen in life. Nothing is predictable, so being able to get ahead of it could prove beneficial, and this story could be a tool to aid that process. This book acknowledges that while change is inevitable, it can still be a positive event. The illustrations are eye-catching, and the storyline is short but interesting enough to keep the attention of children while still having a hopeful message about finding the beautiful things in life.
Ten Beautiful Things by Molly Beth Griffin
Published by Charlesbridge Publishing on January 12, 2021
Genres: Family, Grandparents and Elders, Grief, Mindfulness
Pages: 32
Reading Level: Grade K, Grades 1-2
ISBN: 9781632897909
Review Source: Reading Is Resistance
Publisher's Synopsis: A heartfelt story of changing perspectives, set in the Midwest. Ten Beautiful Things gently explores loss, a new home, and finding beauty wherever you are.
Lily and her grandmother search for ten beautiful things as they take a long car ride to Iowa and Lily's new home with Gran. At first, Lily sees nothing beautiful in the April slush and cloudy sky. Soon though, Lily can see beauty in unexpected places, from the smell of spring mud to a cloud shaped like a swan to a dilapidated barn. A furious rainstorm mirrors Lily's anxiety, but as it clears Lily discovers the tenth beautiful thing: Lily and Gran and their love for each other.
Ten Beautiful Things leaves the exact cause of Lily's move ambiguous, making it perfect for anyone helping a child navigate change, whether it be the loss of a parent, entering or leaving a foster home, or moving.
Leave a Reply