Sharon Creech is such a fine writer! I have enjoyed reading her books and I'ma grownup! I think kids grade 4 and up will like this story. Set in WW2, I think they will find it interesting to see what their grandparents, and great grandparents lived through. Very engaging.

A sophisticated tale of life on the home front during World War II. You had me at the beginning, an abandoned baby! Rescued by 2 young girls! Excellent use of variable point of view, wonderful strategy for young readers to be introduced to

Magical story about imagination, acceptance and a teacher who inspires a love of writing. This would be perfect for a book club, as it refers to other great books.

This would be a wonderful read aloud for an elementary school classroom to foster a love of writing (and because it's a compelling story with twists and turns and so many fun characters!). Sharon Creech has done it again - she always manages to pull you in with quirky characters and fun family dynamics and amazing grandparents. I also loved that the ending gives us readers proper resolution about what happens to all of the characters, but without spoiling the mystery and possibility I love in a good book ending. It's a perfect balance for still concrete, budding analytical readers. The book also has some wonderful lessons about friendship, fitting in, and dealing with conflict that many elementary school students (and adults) might take to heart. I can't wait to recommend it to students!

I loved this book. I found Gina's story irresistible! As a young girl I was very invested in words, language and writing and that passion has only increased as an adult. The structure of the book takes a little getting used to, as it has a storyline and a more expository narrative running in lockstep throughout the book. Gina's personal story of self-discovery (who she IS and who she COULD be) unfolds along with her teacher, Miss Lightstone, leading the entire classroom through a variety of daily discussions and writing exercises that encourage curiosity, appreciation and engaging the depth and flexibility of their imaginations. A testament to the life-changing possibilities of stories, writing and connections with those around us, ONE TIME is warm, at times touching, and sometimes delightfully funny (the lasagna delivery to the Claffertys is hilarious!). This is a book I will press into the hands of every young reader I know who loves writing, reading and stories!

I love and often recommend Sharon Creech’s writing. Her newest middle-grades offering reminded me in content and tone of her Newberry Award-winning title Walk Two Moons. As a bookseller and former middle school teacher, I have always been a fan of tween and young adult novels. And so I recommend this one whole-heartedly to folks like me: those who can relate to quirky, contemplative characters and points of view. But the caveat: While labeled a title recommended for 5th and 6th graders, I’m not too sure it will appeal to many in that age group. There IS a lot of humor, and an innocent but serious crush on the new boy next door- so girls of that age may relate. Overall a lovely book, but for select readers. One note: I didn’t care for the cartoonish figures in the cover illustration. I think more realistic looking children would add appeal.

Sharon Creech has done it again. A book that motivates us to think about how children view each other, adults, and life's haphazard feel. This teacher is as marvelous as Jack's Miss Stretchberry (from Love that Dog) and interestingly, this book is dedicated to (all the Stretchberries....who light the way>" I find myself thinking about this book long after I read it. Because of a new teacher in the classroom, the children are introduced to free writing and interesting vocabulary they keep adding to the list on the board. One day Renaldo brings in a word from his Swedish grandfather< MAN-gotta. It amazed me that there was a single word to describe the way the moon’s light reflects on a body of water, creating a path, as if inviting you to follow it back to the moon.

The oddity in the book is that the teacher does get complaints from parents but that is never pursued. Instead the book continues to delight as the children face life with moving, a child who is no longer n the class, and a new child in the seat. I forgot how we as children feel displaced and never know the whole story. I don't want to give too much of the ending away, but I will say it takes place twenty years down the road and we get a glimpse of the future.
I know I'll be reading this book to my children's literature classes!

Once again, Sharon Creech writes a story that tugs at my heart and inspires me as a teacher. I love seeing positive teachers who help me remember the impact I can have on my students! I really enjoyed the out-of-the-box teaching methods and creativity.

I'm not sure if my students will love it as much as me since they are really into intense action and suspense. This is not that book, and I sometimes have problems getting kids to give these heartfelt books a try. However, the message is important for my students, and I will continue to booktalk and highlight books that help students see their potential.

A lovely story about the power of imagination and frienship. Gina dresses differently than the other kids and often gets told she has an over-active imagination. When a new neighbor arrives and a new teacher encourages her students to explore language, Gina finds her true calling.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC in exchange for review.

Sharon Creech's prose pulled me in to this imaginative story about Gina and her neighbor, Antonio. Gina doesn't quite fit in with the other kids. In the past, teachers have not been impressed by her creativity. Her new teacher and Antonio are bright lights to help discover "Who am I" and "Who do I want to be".

A middle grade book, the middle grade characters do not use vocabulary normally used in that age range. However, because Creech's language is gorgeous, I think it does middle graders well to escape and discover themselves - even if the actual realism isn't always there.

Miss Lightstone, the teacher, was the shining star for me. I want to be her. I want to have the permission from the school district to be her. Can you imagine using each class period to go where the class leads instead of worrying about what time you have for which standard? Her lessons were exciting and deep and I loved every one...especially silent Wednesdays where kids' needed to figure out the answers to their questions themselves. Genius! Miss Lightstone's love of literature (and Creech's nod to classic and current works) integrates the creativity she expects to see in her class.

The book is great for all ages, but I see this as a read aloud to a middle grade class. I can only imagine the discussions after each chapter.

Sharon Creech will always be an iconic children’s author. The stories she writes are so important and meaningful, unlike many books becoming popular for young readers. They should be challenged to answer the question of “who could you be?” I think that the length of the chapters and the voice of the character will make this a quick and easy read without sacrificing the lessons. I did have trouble connecting with the main character, but overall I loved the journey. This would make a great read aloud.

I loved the voice of this young narrator, the exploration and wonder, the way the teacher used writing experiments to engage deeper thinking. But I needed more of Antonio, especially given the ending.

Gina is an only child who has a very creative imagination. Antonio is her newly moved in next door neighbor and classmate. You would think there would be much to write about from these two characters, but the book really goes nowhere. At one point, Antonio is absent from school there is little to no plot development. This book was a big disappointment for me...very boring, no character development. I will not be purchasing it for my school library.

I loved One Time by Sharon Creech. Speaking as a teacher, Miss Lightstone was a wonderful reminder of what matters in the classroom (and I'm totally borrowing her first sentence from a book activity to use with my students). I'll be purchasing a set of the book to use in literature circles, and I can't wait to share the characters and their story with my students. Gina Filomena, Antonio, Miss Lightstone, and the other members of their ELA class are all quirky and endearing as they explore their answers to the question, "Who are you?" Each of the first three characters, plus Nonna Filomena's stories about the Angel Lucia, bring their own magic to the story. Imagination and creativity rule--though the main characters face difficulties because of the way these two things make them stand out.

One of the things I most appreciated was the way that community was built through mostly small actions on the parts of characters, and how those small actions led to new actions which led to new actions and so on. Often, it is overwhelming to think about bridging differences, but Creech shows that a chain reaction of small kindnesses is all it takes to develop community. (The story reminded me of The View from Saturday by E.L. Konigsburg in that way--the two books might be interesting to pair in the classroom.)

I was not initially a huge fan of the cover, but after reading the book, I think it's pretty perfect.

As a junior high English teacher, this middle-grades novel really hit home for me. Miss Lightstone shares her passion for writing with her students and shows them that they are all capable of telling beautiful, powerful, courageous stories of their own.

This book is a perfect for for a middle grade reader and writer. Words, stories and imagination are practically characters in this quick read from a beloved author.

Yet again, Sharon Creech introduces her readers to an engaging protagonist whose journey of becoming is completely believable in the twists and turns of imagination and relationships. Not a lot happens in this book, plot-wise-- at least not external to the main character. But her inward journey of self-discovery could be a great model for middle schoolers of observing their growing and learning.

This is a beautifully written book which is perfect for older elementary or middle school. This tale is about the transformative power of imagination and the journey to becoming who you are meant to be

I received this e-ARC from the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest opinion.

Gina has always had an overactive imagination, but when Antonio moves into her neighborhood, even he has her questioning reality. This new boy is captivating, not only to Gina but to her classmates, and when he suddenly stops showing up, Gina is left wondering how one person can make such an impact on so many, and how his absence can leave such a hole.

I liked this book a lot, and loved what a sympathetic parent Gina's dad was. I think this will be another middle grade home run for Sharon Creech.

This is a wonderful book about exploring who you are and who you may become with wonderful characters and relationships.Everyone should be so lucky as to have had a teacher like Miss Lightstone!