The Day My Mother Left

I first became aware of James Prosek through his artistic and literary treatments of fly fishing and thought I would give The Day My Mother Left, his first fictional effort, a go. I am so glad I did--what a wonderful little book! Though it is intended for young adults, as a mature reader I found it very engaging. This autobiographical novel is a very candid picture of a difficult time in Prosek's, and his protaganist's, life. Prosek tells his touching story beautifully and without remorse. I would liken this book to Angela's Ashes in its portrayal of an unbalanced family and their troubles in a voice that does not blame but instead finds grace in the struggle. In the case of Prosek, his gravitation to art and nature provides ballast and equanimity; he shows us an inner journey enabled by his exploration of the natural world. And it is a damn good story. . . Yale-educated James Prosek is clearly an extremely gifted and multi-dimensional creative talent. I know of few other YA books that tell such a story of charm and tenderness from the male point of view. I highly recommend it!

Book arrived in morning mail and read it in one sitting. Such a talented young man. He hit every emotion. His mother was right: He is going to be very famous.

James Prosek's newest book is truly inspiring. Beautifully written and thoroughly honest, the book explores the difficult journey of a boy as he grapples to come to terms with his mother's abandonment. In the process, Jeremy discovers his own strengths and talents, cultivating his love of nature and drawing. As a reader, I found myself instantly drawn into Jeremy's struggle to try to understand what has taken place, sympathizing with all of his reactions, and desperately wanting to pick up a pencil and try my own, much less gifted, hand at drawing. This is a poignant, brilliant book for readers of all ages!

I started reading this book as soon as it arrived and could not put it down. It's very engaging and you want the young boy Jeremy to be happy again and eventually reconciled with his mother. James Prosek is a very gifted young writer and has a beautiful way of expressing himself. He treats the difficult and heart wrenching subject of divorce with openness and candor. He demonstrates how he as a young boy found solace and comfort in his art and in nature. Walking in the woods looking for unusual birds and fishing in the ponds and rivers of Fairfield county with his friends gave Jeremy the inner strength he needed to overcome the loss of his mother leaving - coupled with the never ending love and support of his father and sister. He never blames his parents or himself for the breakup. This is a wonderful and moving book on a very difficult and emotional subject that can teach both young and adult readers a lot about coping under pressure and finding new ways to move on, when life throws us a curve ball.

James Prosek has written a deeply moving novel about a boy who is forced on a path of self-discovery when his mother abondons him and his family for almost four years. The young boy, named Jeremy, is left alone with a depressed father and an absent older sister while he struggles to understand how the person who loved him most could leave. The story is based on the author's life and is told with the honesty and simplicity of a nine-year old boy who must learn how to deal with loss. What is particularly inspiring is that the boy turns a tragic event into a positive experience and finds his purpose at a very young age. Jeremy accomplishes this by exploring his curiousity and love of nature, and he becomes a very powerful observer. The reader can only imagine how this carries on even after the mother has returned and the story has ended. I was surprised and intrigued by the boy's lack of anger and blame towards his mother. Even though his mother is absent for most of the novel, she is still a force for his creative spirit and moves him to continue with his artwork and push himself. It is refreshing to read a novel about divorce which does not show us how we can fall, but rather how we can lift ourselves above the challenges we all face. Even though this book was written for young adults, it can clearly touch anyone who has dealt with loss or knows someone who has. As an adult, myself, I was completely touched by Jeremy's journey and would recommend this book to anyone, at any age.