Getting Near to Baby

It took me a while to get into this book, but each time I put it down, there was an empty space wanting to be filled with answers. The more I got to know Willa Jo and Little Sister, as well as Aunt Patty, Uncle Hob and Mom, the more my questions yearned for answers.This story, about a summer filled with grief and the different ways of trying to cope with it, is hauntingly spiritual. Despite the well-meaning efforts of Aunty Patty and her churchgoing neighbors, the spiritual depths are mined by a grieving mother who paints pictures of angels, and by two lonely girls sitting on the roof watching the sun rise.I'm not sure how many middle-grade readers will be drawn into this sparse story, but it would be worth the effort, especially for those dealing with grief or the departure of a parent.

Have you ever lost a baby sister or brother? Well in the Book Getting Near to Baby, Whila Jo's family lost a baby sister. So Whila Jo and little sister went to live with their Aunt Patty for a while. They had the worst time. Their Aunt Patty made them wear dresses and she took away their other clothes. Aunt Patty was always bossing them around and telling them whom to play with. Whila Jo and little sister go sick of it and then they just went to the top of the roof. Do you think they will ever get down or see their mom again? I really liked the part when it told how baby died. I liked that part because I could picture what was happening in my mind. Also I liked when Whila Jo and little sister went to bible school and it was lunch time. They were sitting under a tree filled with ticks. They were biting everyone. It was really funny. I didn't like when Aunt Patty had her friend over and her daughter. Whila Jo and little sister did not like the daughter. I didn't like the daughter because she was a mean person. In this book, Getting Near to Baby, Whila Jo is the protagonist. She is really determined. Also she is a happy person. Whila Jo likes to wander and stay out with her new friend. Sometimes she is sad when she thinks about baby. Some strength Whila Jo has is to stand up for herself and other people. Some weaknesses are that Whila Jo can't play with any friends that Aunt Patty picks for her. I think Whila Jo is brave. Also I really like her because she is tough. I would not want to be in her shoes. I would miss my family too much, but I would like to be tough and brave like her! There are many reasons that I would and wouldn't be her. This is one of the greatest books because it kept me at the edge of my seat, and so I hope you read Getting Near to Baby by Audrey Columbis.

This profound Newbery Honor Book bears revisiting, and it surely bears listening as the story reveals what it means to be a sister and the different forms that tragedy may take. Mischa Barton reads with compassionate understanding. Twelve-year-old Willa Jo and seven-year-old Little Sister have lost their baby sister. The child's sudden death has, of course, devastated their mother. Aunt Patty, who is not accustomed to having children in her home, takes the two girls thinking that mother needs some time alone to grieve and perhaps begin adjusting to her loss. What seems like a good and generous thought doesn't turn out very well for the girls as they miss their mother desperately, are grieving for their lost sister, and Aunt Patty has jillions of rules. In an effort to escape what seems to be an intolerable situation the girls climb onto the roof one morning to watch the sunrise. The problem is, following the sunrise Willa Jo can't bring herself to come down. After all, once she came down, how could she explain her unusual behavior? There is much for all to learn in this thoughtful recounting of a tragedy and the toll it takes.

The author has done an excellent job of writing about a painful subject without making it seem trite or overly emotional. While a few things may be predictable (a bad Seventh Heaven episode it's certainly not!), they weren't intended to fool you to begin with - I felt the emotions and responses to events were very accurately portrayed. I found myself crying during certain passages and laughing out loud during others. This is one of those books that makes you glad you can read. If you're buying this for a young person, take a few hours to read it yourself - it will be well worth the time.

My wife stages a Nutcracker production involving over 100 children. During long hours of rehearsals there is much down time. The young dancers get bored and irritable. One day she found Getting Near to Baby. (recommended by a grammar school teacher) In the Green Room one of the mothers began reading the novel to the waiting dancers and they were enthralled. It seemed to be a situation they could relate to. The language was "theirs" and the story struck a chord. It was difficult to get them to go onstage for rehearsal until they found what happened to the little girls up on the roof.