*Hope in the Valley by Mitali Perkins

Hope in the Valley captures one girl’s momentous summer as she processes grief, grapples with change, and finds her own voice along the way.

*Hope in the Valley by Mitali Perkins. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2023, 301 pages.

Reading Level: Middle Grade, Ages 10-12

Recommended For: Ages 10 and up

Pandita Paul is adamantly against change: whether it’s the city demolishing the lovely abandoned property next door or her widowed father *gasp* starting to date. As the story opens, Pandita is turning 13 and looking forward to summer. School is done, and it will be easier to avoid her former best friend. Time to enjoy her secret spot in the abandoned neighboring mansion, compose poetry, and try not to forget her mother’s memory.

That is Pandita’s plan. Her family has other ideas, and she finds herself signed up for music camp. As if that weren’t bad enough, the city is planning on destroying the neighboring mansion and building —well, it depends on who you ask. Determined to hide her singing voice and stay under the radar, Pandita finds herself drawn into her local community, digging into local history (actually enjoying music camp!) and finding a new friend. Could change actually be a good thing? Could it help her as she grieves and processes her late mother’s life and legacy?

Taking place in 1980, Hope in the Valley feels like a timeless tale, akin to one of the old books that Pandita loves to re-read. Stories chase between the pages: the stories of the past, the stories of the present. Creativity and the angst of a young creator, mixed with delight in art, come and go.

Mitali Perkin’s captures the warmth of family as Pandita’s father and sisters support and challenge her to grow. Friendship is also portrayed sweetly, from making a new friend to navigating former friendships and cross-generational friendship.

Perkins does deal with some controversial issues in this book, specifically the controversy over a new development of affordable housing and some community members not wanting “that kind” of people to move into the neighborhood. Viewed through Pandita’s eyes, this isn’t seen as a widespread attitude. However she does experience pain and discomfort as people oppose change and new arrivals. Don’t they realize Pandita is technically a new arrival since her family emigrated from India? However, both sides are portrayed compassionately, with Pandita in the middle processing the conflict. And, as Pandita learns about her valley’s history, she realizes the current conflict is reflected in the history of valley. She learns and grieves over the treatment of Hispanic workers and Japanese Americans during WWII. While Pandita’s family doesn’t seem religious, Christian faith and a strong Christian worldview is reflected in the history Pandita learns about her valley.

While Hope in the Valley has many elements that are normal in middle-grade stories, these all merge into a narrative readers won’t want to put down.

Considerations:

None

Overall Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Worldview/Moral Rating: 4.5

Literary/Artistic Rating: 4.5

Read more about our ratings here.

Related Reading From Redeemed Reader

A Review: *The Star that Always Stays by Anna Rose Johnson (another recent but timeless story about a young heroine processing grief)

A Resource: The Charm of the Penderwicks (Hope in the Valley’s timeless feel and sweet protagonist reflect many of the elements we love in the Penderwicks series)

A Resource: *Steeped in Stories by Mitali Perkins: a Discussion (Hayley and Megan discuss Mitali’s winsome engagement with classic children’s literature)

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