I’m telling you, these middle grade books I’ve been reading are NUUUUU-THING like what I remember reading as a kid. My latest gem is The Mighty Miss Malone by Christopher Paul Curtis (what a name, right?!) and as always, I wouldn’t be writing about it if I didn’t absolutely love it. And I mean, love. We have so many important themes at bat: friendship, poverty, the Great Depression, illness, survival, loyalty. Phew. This is a mighty middle grade novel, and you’ll be oh-so-glad you read this!
I kept hearing about the author, Christopher Paul Curtis and added The Mighty Miss Malone to my TBR list ages ago. Like you, I keep adding (and adding and adding) to the list and then buy books on top of it and then request others from the library. It’s my Type A brain nightmare in that I just want to finish my list (or empty out my bookshelf) but I cannot help myself from adding more books to the pile. First world problems.
Anywho. I now see why people love this author. The Mighty Miss Malone was heavy but somehow this author’s magical ways kept it moving so you still kept hope, if that makes sense.
Start Me Off
The Malone family lives in Gary, Indiana and the father is out of work. And has been for a while. Mom works for a well-off family in town, but even with that income, the Malone family wears worn-out shoes, eats food from the welfare line and can’t afford much of what they need. The Great Depression has hit Gary hard, but it has not dampened this family’s spirits or their loyalty to one another.
The Malone kiddos are Jimmie and Deza. Jimmie is gifted in the ‘street smarts’ skill set; not so much with book smarts. He also stopped growing years ago, but the family doesn’t have what they need to get him more food or see a doctor. Deza is three years younger and an absolutely gifted student. Wise and academically strong. And kind. And lovable. And straight up witty (which I luh-huv!).
Hooked
Father, Roscoe Malone, goes fishing with three other men in hopes of bringing back a feast for dinner. Rather than going to their local fishing spot, they go to Lake Michigan. Mother doesn’t feel good about it, but Roscoe ends up going. Hours pass and there’s no sign of Roscoe. Days pass and there’s no sign from anybody on that boat.
Roscoe lives, but I’ll keep what happened that day a mystery for fellow readers. 😉
Things Get Really Exciting
Roscoe decides to head back to Flint, Michigan, where he is from based on ‘word’ that there’s work there. Mother argues that they are stronger as a family together, but he ends up going. The Malone family is dealt with a few unforeseen blows and Mother, Deza and Jimmie gather what they can in search of Roscoe.
It isn’t a straight shot to Flint. There’s no money. They deal with the elements. Mother is working like a dawg. And so on. Again, it seems like all this would add up to a really depressing (pun not intended) novel, but somehow this author’s talent shines. I was rooting for the Malone’s the entire time. I was in awe of Mother’s grit (and energy). Absolutely amazed by Deza’s independence.
I Sure Love A Witty Character
This sweet Deza may be 12 but GAHD, she’s wise beyond her years. And the way the author wrote her is just so perfectly adorable. See here:
“I’m different from most people and one of the main reasons is, I think I might have two brains. Whenever I get nervous or mad or scared or very upset, I have thoughts that are so different from my normal thoughts that there isn’t any way they could be coming from just one brain.”
After Deza stood up for her brother at school, “Brain number two was starting to take over. All I could hope was that they crown of being biggest bully wouldn’t automatically come to me, because, even though I had really enjoyed beating that million-tooth monster, that crown would rest uneasy on my head.”
“Hoping is such hard work. It tires you out and you never seem to get any kind of reward. Hoping feels like you’re a balloon that has a pinhole that slowly leaks air.”
See, this really is a mighty middle grade novel!
Read This If…
Read this if you need hope. Read this if you’re not sure how things are going to pan out in an area of your life. Read this if you think you have it tough as a reality check of how it was for practically ALL Americans for many, many years. Read this if you need to see the beauty of neighbors helping neighbors.