Ever since May, Summer's aunt and good-as-a-mother for the past six years, died in the garden among her pole beans and carrots, life for Summer and her Uncle Ob has been as bleak as winter. Ob doesn't want to create his beautiful whirligigs anymore, and he and Summer have slipped into a sadness that they can't shake off. They need May in whatever form they can have her -- a message, a whisper, a sign that will tell them what to do next. When that sign comes, Summer will discover that she and Ob can keep missing May but still go on with their lives.
A beloved classic about grief, gardens, and the enduring love of family.---from the publisher
128 pages 978-0439613835 Ages 9-12
Keywords: Newbery Medal, death and dying, loss, grief, sadness, moving on, family, love, multigenerational, 9 year old, 10 year old, 11 year old, 12 year old, adoption, orphans, West Virginia, Appalachian Mountains, renewal, overcoming adversity