Penguin Readers

All That It Ever Meant
'All That It Ever Meant' combines themes of family, hope and the importance of telling your story throughout. It follows a fourteen-year-old girl, Mati, taking a road trip with her father, older sister and younger brother through Zimbabwe following her mother's death. As she narrates the trip, Mati is visited by Meticais, a spirit-like person, and although they seem to be real, only Mati can see them, adding to the developing mystery of the plot. During her narration of the road trip, Mati also skips back to moments before the trip, providing a snapshot into family dynamics before the mother's death, and the events leading up to it. Blessing Musariri does an excellent job of writing Mati's voice and encapsulating her character, making this book relatable and engaging for young readers. Additionally, by dropping hints throughout the book, Musariri creates the perfect plot twist at the end, which is not out of the blue, and certainly not obvious. Overall, this book is very well written and structured, so that it is impossible to put down. Mati's interactions and relationships with the people in her life and the world around her are both unique and familiar for young readers.

Tilly

The Things We Leave Behind
The Things We Leave Behind is a book about hope and who helps or gives us this during our toughest time. The book builds up a strong plot line, placing you into a world that seems so realistic, especially at this time. This book is not only enjoyable but something that discusses the state of our world and how it could become.

Pearl