The Horn Book Guide

INTERMEDIATE FICTION

Holt, Kimberly Willis

The Lost Boy's Gift

213 pp. | Holt/Ottaviano | April, 2019 | Trade ISBN 978-1-62779-326-1 $16.99

(2) 4-6 Illustrated by Jonathan Bean. Nine-year-old Daniel is unenthusiastic about moving after his parents divorce, but middle-aged Tilda is delighted to have a child neighbor. Co-protagonist Tilda--who can magically talk with animals--takes an interest in Daniel while his mother works long hours. A broad cast of well-defined secondary characters reinforces the book's sense of community, while the talking animals provide both occasional profundity and frequent comic relief.

Reviewer: Sarah Rettger | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2019