Trashed by Martha Freeman - ADVISABLE

 Trashed by Martha Freeman, 295 pages. Simon & Schuster, Inc., 2023. $18 

Language: G (0 swears, 0 “f”), Mature Content: G, Violence: G

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

11yo Arthur finds his sister, Ramona standing over her now dead pet mouse, who just the day before was rummaging around in her cage. Although the two siblings generally ignor one another, as Arthur thought of many reasons that could be the mouse's cause of death, he considered Ramona's young age and chose not to share his thoughts when she asked. Arthur determines that he and his sister should have a funeral. The siblings lived with their parents in the upstairs apartment of their family-owned store, Universal Trash, a consignment store established by their grandparents and became popular almost immediately. It was the perfect place for Ramona to find a "coffin" for Mouse 4. It also becomes a perfect place for a mystery starting with the reappearance of a vintage chipped teacup, which Arthur noticed out of place because of the clean and good condition in which the secondhand items were found before they were sold. The teacup becomes the perfect fit for Mouse 4's ghost! 

I enjoyed this story with fun little twists and turns as we get to know the characters. Off shoots of stories regarding things that happened earlier in their lives help us get to know the characters better. These stories also help us understand the power of family, friendship, and perseverance. Arthur tries to solve the mystery of the chipped teacup with the help of the ghost of Mouse 4, whom he renames Watson. I liked Arthur’s character and how he was such a kind soul, which was evident through his customer service at his parents store where he worked daily. I thought it was impressive to read about topics of homelessness and racism as they were subtly exposed, and how they are intertwined into and addressed within the characters' conversations. I would have liked to have seen more of the result of those conversations and even a resolution, but they were addressed just on the surface. I think this book would appeal to students in the age range of 6-12 yo. 

Reviewer: Amy Clements