Until Tomorrow, Mr. Marsworth by Sheila O'Connor - ESSENTIAL

O’Connor, Sheila Until Tomorrow, Mr. Marsworth, 348 pages.  G.P.Putnam’s Sons, 2018. $17. Content: PG (1 swear); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG.  

When Reenie gets a new paper route she decides to meet all of the people on her route, but when she doesn’t hear from Mr. Marsworth because he is a recluse, she starts to write him letters.  He reluctantly responds and they become pen pals.  As eleven-year-old Reenie is trying to settle into living with her grandmother while her father is away working, she relies on Mr. Marsworth to listen to all of her problems.  She has trouble with town bullies, worries about her pen pal in Vietnam and tries to keep her favorite older brother Billy from joining the war.  

I loved this book and found myself equally laughing and crying.  Reenie is an endearing character who is trying to navigate life during the 1970’s without her mother and a lot of changes around her.  I loved the letter format and the back and forth between the characters.  Great writing and easy to recommend.  

EL, MS – ESSENTIAL.  Reviewer, C. Peterson.