Release: September 7th, 2021
Format: Paperback
Publisher: Shadow Mountain
Source: Shadow Mountain
Find it at Goodreads, Amazon, Audible, B&N
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When compared to her nearly perfect little sister, Phoebe Paz Petersen feels she doesn’t measure up in her parents’ eyes. Okalee is smart and beloved for her sunny disposition. That makes it hard for Phoebe to stand out in their small town in Montana. But if she gets the chance for the coveted solo in the school choir, she’ll stop being a middle-school nobody and finally get her chance to shine.
Despite her sister’s annoying perfection, Phoebe actually loves spending time with Okalee. They have one exceptional, secret tradition: River Day—when they hold hands and make their way across the cold, rushing Grayling River to celebrate the first hint of spring. This year’s River Day crossing, however, goes horribly wrong. And Phoebe’s world suddenly turns upside down.
Heartbroken and facing life without Okalee, Phoebe is more determined than ever to sing the solo in the school concert as a way of speaking to her sister one last time. But Phoebe’s so traumatized by what happened, and she had no more beautiful singing voice.
Kat Waters wants the choir solo for herself and is spreading a terrible rumor about Okalee’s incident on River Day. If Phoebe tells the truth, she believes her family will never forgive her, and she may never get to sing her goodbye to Okalee. Even worse, somebody is leaving Phoebe anonymous notes telling her they saw what really happened at the river.
Missing Okalee is an empathy-building novel about the unbreakable bond between sisters and finding the courage to do what’s right amid heartbreak and tragedy.
About the Author:
Laura Ojeda Melchor is a Cuban-American writer who grew up in Montana, where a spruce tree in her front yard was her most frequented reading nook. She now lives in her beloved, adopted home state of Alaska with her son, partner, and puppy. She is a self-described bookworm and holds a Master of Fine Arts in Writing from Vermont College of Fine Arts. Her debut middle-grade novel, Missing Okalee, comes out from Shadow Mountain Publishing in the fall of 2021.
Missing Okalee Review:
Missing Okalee turned out to be a wonderful surprise and so much better than what I expected.
When I started reading this book, I had no idea it would be powerful, emotional, and raw. The author touched on many critical issues like death, guilt, suicide, remorse, and other mental health issues that you don’t usually see in other middle-grade novels. I was in awe at how the author wrote the story because my heart went out to Phoebe throughout.
Phoebe is a fantastic protagonist, and my heart went out to her. She experiences something tragic, and it was heartwrenching to see how the guilt started to eat her inside. I thought the author also portrayed Phoebe’s relationship with her mother realistically. Phoebe’s Mama shows hints of blaming Phoebe for what happened to Okalee. While part of me felt awful for the way her Mama treats her, another part of me felt her pain too. I also found the scenes with Phoebe and Dr. Santana interesting.
Similarly, I adored Wardie and thought he was a wonderful friend to Phoebe. The author also wrote the negative character Kat in a deliciously evil manner. She is one of those characters you immediately despise, as Kat tries to kick Phoebe while she suffers. The author wrote all the characters convincingly that it was hard to put this book down. One memorable scene is when Phoebe goes to Kat’s house to get the letter and later researches what could happen to her if her secrets came out.
Overall, “Missing Okalee” is a remarkable middle-grade contemporary novel and one of the fantastic books I read this year!
