Anatomy of Lost Things

March 11, 2024
The lives of three preteens in a small Maryland town intersect in this quirky novel about loss by Stout (The Impossible Destiny of Cutie Grackle). Tildy, whose father owns an auction house, has lost the amber necklace that her mother—home after abandoning her family for 186 days—gave her, and cannot shake the fear that she will leave again unless Tildy finds it. Leon, raised by tavern-owning grandparents, is trying to regain the psychic powers he discovered after his grandfather’s death so he can guide his grandmother in an important decision. Nell, randomly in town with her mother, who decided to flee in a camper after a hurricane destroyed their Florida home, is protesting her parent’s actions while grieving the death of her other mother. Interwoven throughout the tweens’ stories are the histories of objects important to them: Nell’s late mother’s bugle, Tildy’s necklace, and a crooked brass candlestick Leon believes will help him communicate with his deceased grandfather. Folksy third-person prose renders the characters’ alternating perspectives as well as varying digressions, making for a leisurely paced narrative that builds toward credible—including one fittingly offbeat—resolutions. All characters read as white. Ages 8–12.

April 15, 2024
Changes and altered perspectives come to three young people with fractured families. Deftly laying down individual nuances of disposition and character, Stout follows three preteens through and past crucial points in their lives. Florida hurricane refugee Nell Evetts McDonough, still grieving the death of one mom, is desperate to overcome the reluctance of her other one to leave Maryland and return to their old life in Florida. Traumatized Tildy Gubbers has lost trust in her mom, who's just come back to their Maryland town after suddenly taking off to New York City for several months. And Leon Monteforte, along with nursing a painful crush on Tildy, yearns to comfort the grieving, recently widowed grandma who raised him--by contacting his grandpa in the spirit world. Punctuated with comic relief in the form of occasional screams and chaos caused by David Attenborough (Leon's large, scene-stealing Madagascar hissing cockroach, whose character is just as artfully animated as anyone else's here), friendship grows in natural, organic stages as events lead to crises and, ultimately, brighter futures. Meanwhile, through flashbacks and inventive tweaks (including a hint of fantasy), the author also unfolds a thoughtful subplot about how, even though inanimate objects can become invested with meaning, just letting them go might sometimes be best. The two-legged cast registers as white. Sad, funny, and thematically rich; loaded with feels and appeals. (Fiction. 9-13)

COPYRIGHT(2024) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

May 1, 2024
Grades 3-6 Tildy's mom left. Leon's grandfather died. Nell's house was destroyed in a hurricane. Now Tildy's mom is back: Will she stay? Leon's grandma wants to get a message from "the other side": Will she hear it? Nell's mom keeps looking for adventures: Will she ever go home? The paths of these three families come together in small-town Maryland. Tildy, Leon, and Nell are ""weird"" kids, and they need to figure out how to deal with all their family concerns. Their methods are consistent with their quirky ways, but the harder they try to fix things, the worse things become. Stout (a self-proclaimed weird kid) captures the pain and anxiety these three kids are living with, as well as their creative problem-solving, using accessible, natural language and pacing. Interspersed throughout the book are the histories of all the precious belongings that are key to the resolution of this tale, interweaving the families' lives. An enjoyable read with a pleasing construction. Perfect for readers looking for someone who mirrors their challenges.

COPYRIGHT(2024) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

September 1, 2024
Three eleven-year-olds each cope with loss. Tildy's mama has suddenly returned after being gone for a long time. Still hurt and confused, Tildy worries she might do something to make her leave again. Leon -- with David Attenborough, his charismatic pet Madagascar hissing cockroach, always in his pocket or on his shoulder -- tries to communicate with his dead grandfather via seance. He believes this will help his grieving grandmother (and guardian) move forward. Nell and her mom have landed in this Maryland community after losing their house in a Florida hurricane. Her mom wants to keep traveling, but Nell misses their home, with its memories of her other mother. The story rotates among the perspectives of the three main characters, and peppered throughout are the backstories of the objects that hold meaning for them. Tildy has lost the amber necklace her mom gave her. Leon has found a battered candlestick perfect for contacting the spirit world. Nell carries her deceased mother's bugle around her neck. The characters will never know the stories of these objects or how they came to pass through their lives; only readers get to see the big picture, glimpsing the objects and their impacts in a new light. Well-developed throughout, the characters, even supporting ones, are complex and interesting. This intricate web of objects and people skillfully knits together into a touching, thought-provoking, and ultimately comforting story. Julie Roach

(Copyright 2024 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

December 13, 2024

Gr 3-7-From lost things to lost people, three tweens learn what it means to lose something precious, and how finding something can be healing, even if it's not what they were looking for. Tildy Gubbers, Leon Monteforte, and Nell Evetts McDonough have all lost something but, when they meet one another at Tildy's father's auction house in Plucketts, MD, the kids discover that they are all on a similar journey. Tildy has lost a necklace that she believes is the key to keeping her mom from running away again. Leon just lost his grandfather, and his grandmother is looking to Leon to reconnect with him in the spirit world. Nell lost everything to a hurricane that ravaged her Florida town. While seeking their missing items, the trio learn more about one another and themselves. Their three deeply moving stories are told with humor and heart, spanning time and distance to build a cohesive narrative of friendship and growth. Diverse family structures are portrayed, with most main characters cued white. VERDICT A heartfelt and essential purchase for all libraries.-Maryjean Riou

Copyright 2025 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 1, 2024
Three eleven-year-olds each cope with loss. Tildy's mama has suddenly returned after being gone for a long time. Still hurt and confused, Tildy worries she might do something to make her leave again. Leon -- with David Attenborough, his charismatic pet Madagascar hissing cockroach, always in his pocket or on his shoulder -- tries to communicate with his dead grandfather via s�ance. He believes this will help his grieving grandmother (and guardian) move forward. Nell and her mom have landed in this Maryland community after losing their house in a Florida hurricane. Her mom wants to keep traveling, but Nell misses their home, with its memories of her other mother. The story rotates among the perspectives of the three main characters, and peppered throughout are the backstories of the objects that hold meaning for them. Tildy has lost the amber necklace her mom gave her. Leon has found a battered candlestick perfect for contacting the spirit world. Nell carries her deceased mother's bugle around her neck. The characters will never know the stories of these objects or how they came to pass through their lives; only readers get to see the big picture, glimpsing the objects and their impacts in a new light. Well-developed throughout, the characters, even supporting ones, are complex and interesting. This intricate web of objects and people skillfully knits together into a touching, thought-provoking, and ultimately comforting story.

(Copyright 2024 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)