LitPick Review
Anybody Shining is a fictional book about Arie Mae Spark’s life. It is portrayed in western North Carolina in the 1920s. Arie Mae is trying to find a true friend, when suddenly Tom, a boy from Baltimore, Maryland, comes for summer vacation. He is handicapped, so he cannot run and play like the other kids. Instead of playing with the others, Arie Mae sits and talks to Tom. She tells him ghost stories like they were real. During their talks, they become true friends. Tom tells her that he wants to see a real ghost. So instead of sitting, they begin to walk and search for ghosts. On their walks, can she find him a ghost to see? Can his body handle the long walks? Find out by reading Anybody Shining.
Opinion:
Anybody Shining is not the book that I was expecting. I was expecting something very funny, happy, and new. Instead, it is a tale that merges a bunch of letters to Arie Mae‘s cousin with the story itself. I found this book to be a bit lackluster. Girls may like this book better than boys. On the other hand, the characters are easy to understand and are believable. For instance, when Tom must sit out and not play, he writes in his journal instead. I would recommend this book for ages 9 and up.
