The Question of Miracles by Elana Arnod - ADVISABLE

Arnold, Elana K. The Question of Miracles, 233 pgs. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company, 2015. $16.99.

Language: PG (1 swear, 0 “f”); Mature Content: G; Violence: G. 

Iris and her parents have just moved to Oregon from California and all it does is rain, rain, rain.  How do people stand it? She has started a new school and isn’t interested in making friends so, initially, she is annoyed that Boris doesn’t seem to get that and tries to be her friend anyway.  All Iris really wants is to talk with Sarah.  Sarah is her best friend and was killed in a car accident several months earlier.  With the help of Boris, Iris researches all the different ways she could possibly communicate with Sarah.  Ultimately she is looking for a miracle.  

This is a sweet, tender story about losing someone you love and the time it takes to grieve.  Because of the subject, it could have been a much heavier story but the author kept the characters and the story believable, compassionate and positive.  Iris was a likeable character and, despite her sadness, was oftentimes amusing.  

EL/MS – ADVISABLE. Reviewer:  RB