I really enjoyed Brosgol's first foray into writing a story without relying on so many pictures. It went in an unexpected but delightful direction. I hope she continues down this path as well as keeping up with great PBs and GNs. I'll be there to read EVERYTHING!

Book #43 for the year, #9 for February
This story was provided by the publisher in exchange for a non biased review.

Review of "Return to Sender" by Vera Brosgol - Oliver's Take

Introduction:

Hey, I'm Oliver Bakh, and I guess you could say I've been through the wringer with this whole "Return to Sender" thing. Vera Brosgol wrote about my life - or at least, a wild version of it where wishes come true in the weirdest ways. Let's dive into my story, shall we?

Summary:

So, after my dad passed away, my mom and I moved into this cramped, old apartment in Manhattan. I started at this fancy school where everyone had more money than sense, and I felt like I didn't belong. Then, I found this magic mail slot that made my wishes come true. But, uh, not in the way you'd expect. It was like a rollercoaster of "be careful what you wish for" moments.

Main Characters:

Me, Oliver Bakh: Yeah, that's me. I'm the kid who wished for a better life and got more than I bargained for.
My Mom: She works super hard at my school, cleaning up after all those rich kids.
Great-Aunt Barb: She's not around anymore, but her old apartment was the start of all this madness.

Plot Points:

The Big Move: We moved into this new place, hoping for a fresh start. Spoiler: it was anything but.
Magic Mail Slot: I found this slot that made wishes come true. It was cool... at first.
Wish Chaos: Every wish got crazier, like pizza raining from the sky or tripping over rare sneakers.
Another Dimension Adventure: Me and my friend ended up in this other world because of my wishes. It was nuts but kind of cool?
Learning Stuff: I realized maybe I didn't need all that stuff I thought I wanted.

Passages:

"Be careful what you wish for…" - My new life motto, thanks to that mail slot.
"Oliver wishes his life could be easier. And then one day, after slipping a wish into a mysterious mail slot, it suddenly comes true." - That's when things got interesting.
"Pizza for dinner? Yes! The rarest sneakers in the world? Yes!" - I thought I was the luckiest kid ever.
"Everything he could ever want, without spending a cent?" - It sounded like a dream until it wasn't.
"With courage and persistence and imagination, Oliver finally discovers he already has everything he needs." - Yeah, that was me learning the hard way.

Ratings Breakdown:

Story: 4.5/5 - It was like living in a comic book, but with homework.
Characters: 4.5/5 - I mean, I'm pretty cool, and my mom's the best.
Artwork: 5/5 - The drawings made everything feel more real, even the crazy parts.
Themes: 4/5 - It's like, deep stuff about wanting, having, and being happy with what you've got.
Overall: 4.6/5 - It's a wild ride, but hey, it's my life, right?

Conclusion:

So, "Return to Sender" is basically my story, but with a magical twist. If you ever feel like your life is boring or you wish for something you think you need, just remember - wishes can be tricky. But, in the end, I learned some cool stuff about myself and what really matters. If you want a laugh, some adventure, and maybe a little life lesson, check out my story. Just don't try to find a magic mail slot; trust me, it's not worth it.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC! I thought that it gave Roald Dahl vibes in the best way possible. It was a lot of fun, enjoyable, and fantastical, and I can imagine many kids liking this book!

I loved this book but wish there was no mention of specific ages or grades for the characters. My middle school students will most likely balk at reading a book about 9 and 10 year old protagonists even though the story is wonderful and Brogsol’s graphic novels fly off our shelves.