The Wonder of Charlie Anne by Kimberly Newton Fusco

Charlie Anne’s mother has died in childbirth.  Her father and older brother go north to build roads and earn money to keep the family farm.  Charlie Anne and her siblings are left with cousin Mirabel, who saddles Charlie Anne with an endless list of chores and having to listen to the Charm of Fine Manners in hopes of teaching her how to keep house and be a respectable lady.  With her family torn apart Charlie Anne has only the river, her mama and cows Anna May and Belle with whom she communicates.  Then one day her neighbor gets a new wife, Rosalyn who has a daughter, Phoebe.  Phoebe’s mother has also died.  Charlie Anne, Phoebe, and Rosalyn begin to spend time together, despite objections from Mirabel and other town folks.  The girls become friends, sharing and learning from one another.

The characters in this book, both people and animals are what make this book most enjoyable.  Readers will immediately sympathize with Charlie Anne as she struggles with the changes that are taking place in her life.  Rosalyn and Phoebe are welcomed characters as they bring positive change into the lives of first Old Mr. Jolly and Charlie Anne’s life, then others in town.  There are many instances of humor (i.e conversation with cows) mixed in with the sadness that many of the characters experience.  The author tells a wonderful story of friendship and family and writes with such richness that readers experience the setting and characters first-hand.

I would recommend The Wonder of Charlie Anne to readers in grades 5-8 that enjoy books with strong female characters.  This may also be a book for those that enjoy Sarah, Plain, and Tall and The Little House on the Prairie series, as there are some similar elements in all of these books.  This could also be a good book for a child that has dyslexia, either as a read alone or to be read aloud by a parent. 

The Wonder of Charlie Anne would make a great choice for a book discussion group.  There are many themes such as bullying, prejudice, family relationships, and friendship that could produce some thoughtful discussion.