Has been challenged...
... and now that I've read it, I don't know why. There's a mention of a bad cuss word learned from HBO, but not the word itself. There are questions about God, but an ending that seems reasonable from any tolerantly spiritual point-of-view. Maybe it's challenged by those who interpret the Bible literally and think the questions the character asks have answers and children shouldn't ask questions.

Anyway, it was def. almost too Christian for me, as an atheist. And the ending revealed it to be a public safety message for bike helmets. And the Stages of Grief were pretty textbook.

But still. Still, a pretty good read. Concise, interesting, characters to care about, even funny in bits.

Give books like this to kids *before* they need them, though... not as bibliotherapy when they are trying to cope with a recent death. ( )

Something felt rushed, or like it was missing. I was delighted to learn that this book is still in print. I first read it when I was ten, and it's stuck with me ever since. I didn't know how to talk about how I felt about this book, so I may not have even said anything. As an adult: this felt like a really quick read despite the overwhelming sadness. Heartbreaking dramas with the subject content these books have, tend to end when the death occurs. Here, the death happens on the first page. The story takes place over a month, if I understand correctly. I appreciated how grief was examined. This book felt real. ( )

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I don't know what to say. This is a sad, but hopeful little book. ( )

Mick Harte Was Here by Barbara Park is a book that will grab your heart right from the start! At less than one hundred pages, it is a quick read, which is good because it will probably make you cry, but you will laugh too. Phoebe is such a down to earth character whose sadness, anger, and confusion really come through to the reader. She is honest right from the start and lets the reader know her brother is dead. Her memories about Mick will have you laughing out loud, and you will wish you had had the chance to meet him. As Phoebe searches for answers to what happens now, she is also filled with regret. She feels like she could have stopped the accident, and then no one would have to go through the pain of losing Mick. Reading her conversation about the “what ifs” that she has with her dad really opened my eyes about why we need to let things go because there is always something to regret if we let ourselves go down that path. I think this book would be helpful for anyone that has experienced a major loss because they would be able to relate to Phoebe and might learn from her about healing. It is also an excellent book for people to read who have friends that have gone through something big and they want to show they care but don't know the right words to say. I would recommend this book to anyone in fourth grade and up who is ready for an emotional story with characters that will really make them think. I know third graders who have read it, but I should also mention that Phoebe does swear a little bit in the book, which seemed natural because of the circumstances. This is a book that you shouldn’t miss because it will open your eyes and will make you think about safety and letting go of things you can’t change. ( )