3,5/5, rounded up to 4 because the emotions hit hard

First off, a huge thank you to the publisher and NetGalley from granting me an eARC of this book, and my huge apology for taking almost 5 years to read it. Please know my opinions are entirely my own.

I wish this rating was higher. It may have been, if I'd've known what I was getting into. You might notice that the summary only mentions that Cal killed his brother (which is of course what hooked me in), but nothing else.

I did not expect 35% of Cal being a dick to Sammy (like I put it down for weeks because I truly couldn't stand Cal) and then the remaining 65% being Sammy dying of cancer. Graphically. Graphically for a kid's book, sure, but graphically nonetheless. In a way I appreciate that, just like I appreciate Sammy dying and us knowing from the start; the sense of doom works better for me than actually having hope. I just wish I'd known I was about to read a book about a kid with cancer. I feel like that's a terrible thing to spring on people, especially kids, when they might not be ready for it at that time.

I suppose it's a compliment to the author, that I reacted so strongly to Cal's behavior, and that I ended up crying for pages and pages on end. Sadly the way the story's built up means that I didn't truly feel Cal's love for Sammy in those first 35%.

Oliver was my favorite character by far!

Having said all of this, though, the emotions are real, the struggle (including the parents' struggle) is real. It was an easy read, despite the difficult topic. The whole book is utterly realistic, and I would recommend it to kids, as long as they know what they're getting into.

This book is going to make you cry. I mean, that's all there is to it. It's by a pediatrician who has worked in oncology so yeah. Cal is a typical kid who gets annoyed with his brother, but after his brother is diagnosed with cancer, Cal feels terrible and tries to make everything better.

I have said I wouldn't recommend this book to the children I work with, only because it would have to be handled carefully and isn't something I would just have freely available on the shelf.

The book deals with some really difficult issues and is incredibly sad in places (I often get a bit teary at sad bits in books or films but I stayed up into the early hours to finish this book and then properly sobbed for quite a while!) I feel that this just shows the skill of the author in making a reader feel so strongly about the characters and events.

I don't want to give too much away but this book deals with a family's grief in a way that isn't sugar-coated or pretty (I was not surprised to read that the author is a pediatrician) and shows a very real view of the different ways people grieve.

Despite all of the above, this book has many funny moments and some really lovely, believable relationships and is a thoroughly worthwhile read - just don't forget the tissues!

Thank you NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for this ebook in exchange for my review.

Amazing book. The writing, the story, the heartbreak, but the strength. Wonderful book, and I hope to read more by this author.

This novel was an absolute treat. The narrator was the older brother Calvin, known as Cal. He starts the novel off by saying he killed him little brother. It sucks you into the novel and makes you want to know what could this 12 year old boy have done to kill his little brother. Their summer antics make it seem like the story is going go in a certain way, especially since the author Alex Lyttle is an allergy doctor.

I loved how Lyttle wrote Cal to have thoughts and feelings that I perceived an actual 12 year old boy would go through when the different events happen through out the novel. He is 12, who should he really care about other than himself. I know I was very self centered in middle school as well.

This novel was so good. I can not wait for my son to read it one day.

This book was a bit different than I anticipated and I am unable to give it a fair and favorable review. I appreciate your understanding and patience and I apologize for this.

What a wonderful story that will pull out a range of emotions. The author speaks in a voice that is relatable. This is worth reading.

From Ant to Eagle was an excellent read. This book was not only a very good story but it helped provide an understanding of things would normally be difficult to understand in an excellent way. And while the story is very realistic, the author handles the serious issues in a very sensitive manner.

FROM ANT TO EAGLE is a well-written novel. I thought this might be a very upsetting read due to the subject matter, and I did shed quite a few tears, but this is a story about more than just illness and sadness. There's love, family, friendship,forgiveness, hope, and much more.

An unforgettable, entertaining, and inspiring read. Alex Lyttle did an excellent job of bringing his characters to life. Sammy and Cal are terrific characters with an incredible bond that shines throughout the story. They are characters that won't soon be forgotten

From Ant to Eagle by Alex Lyttle is heart breaking but incredible story about family and the special bond of two brothers. Make sure to grab your tissues before you jump in here. And be warned, once you pick it up, you won't be able to put it down.

So first of all, I dove into this book totally blind. I simply LOVED the cover and requested it immediately from NetGalley. If you haven't already read the synopsis, I recommend doing the same and checking out this review later.

After reading the very first chapter, I said right out loud: "Holy cow!" The first chapter certainly hooked me! I thought that it set the scene very well. After that, I could not put the book down.

The last line of the first chapter is alluded to in the synopsis; "I'm the one who killed Sammy." When I read this line, my brain immediately starting thinking of all the things this could mean. Then as I read, I realized that there was a nervousness that was always looming. Every situation seemed like it could be the one where things went wrong- but I could have never seen what was coming.

I absolutely loved the narrative and how it circled right back to the beginning. Overall, it all just flowed so well and seemed so real! It followed a format where the main character was writing the story down, so as the narrator described things he occasionally got ahead of himself and then said things like, “That’s not quite right” and then backed up to clarify.

I also thought that the author wonderfully captured the personas of eleven-year-old, Calvin, and six-year-old, Sammy! They both seemed so incredibly real; everything from their quick back and forth banter to the looks they would give each other to communicate silently was incredible. Having a close younger brother, I related to a lot of the things Calvin experienced or discussed.

One small element of this book that was really wonderful to me was that Sammy and Calvin shared a love of Goosebumps books. Whenever there was a scene with these books, I couldn't help but smile.

It is clear that this author is incredibly talented. I'm a bit sad that this was his first book, but only because I cannot wait to get my hands on another! I will definitely be watching closely for new releases.

This story was just so beautiful. And while I cried and got angry from time to time, these situations quickly passed into moments of hope and love. I cannot recommend this one enough. Go pick From Ant to Eagle by Alex Little up today.

from ant to eagle made me feel a lot of things from the start to the end, however I didn't love it.

Central Avenue Publishing and NetGalley provided me with an electronic copy of From Ant to Eagle. I was under no obligation to review this book and my opinion is freely given.

Calvin Sinclair, age 11, loves his 6 year old brother Sammy, but is tired of being his constant companion. Having just moved to a new area, the brothers only have each other to provide entertainment. Calvin passes the time by making his brother do a series of tasks, under the guise of having him reach Calvin's level. When Cal meets Aleta Alvarado, who is his age and is new to town as well, he neglects Sammy for weeks. When illness threatens all that Calvin holds dear, will he be able to right what he feels he did wrong before it is too late?

From Ant to Eagle is not an easy book to read because of its realistic quality. Author Alex Lyttle clearly knows his subject matter and has drawn such realistic characters that I feel an emotional connection to them. Dealing with a life threatening illness is not easy for adults and just as devastating for kids, so this is a book that parents can give to children who are facing similar circumstances. It can help open a dialogue and help parents to provide comfort and support. I highly recommend From Ant to Eagle and look forward to reading more by author Alex Lyttle in the future.

Calvin Sinclair has a confession to make. He’s 11 years old and he killed his brother. This striking line from the very first page hooks the reader into the story. Expecting a tragic tale of a horrible accident or misadventure, readers will be left grasping for tissues as they soon realize that no, this is actually a story of two brothers who love each other, two brothers who have their differences (after all, what older brother wants to have a younger sibling around them all the time?) but most of all, two brothers who face an incredible challenge and may not come out unscathed. With a wonderful cast of supporting characters, including two very realistically portrayed parents, and a new best friend for Calvin, “From Ant to Eagle” will grab readers and refuse to let them go long after the last page has been read.

Quite the emotional read. What I love is that Lyttle wrote about big emotions and situations but scaled it down for young readers to be able to understand and work through as the book progressed. The subject matter could be quite overwhelming but the tone of the MC and his processing are what keep the book together for a variety of age ranges to enjoys.

Dynamic plot with a triumphant story! I'll be passing this gem along!

This is my favourite children's novel so far this year.
Humour is lacking for young readers, but this novel has it plus it is also heart wrenching. I laughed & then I cried.
I can't think of any other story for this age group that really makes the reader feel as if your right there with the main character as he deals with his brothers situation, how his parents also deal with it as well as what it's like to be in a hospital for an extended period of time and developing new friendships.
Perfection!

This is a deeply moving and sad story about a family dealing with the death of their youngest child. The story is told from the perspective of the oldest child, who blames himself for the younger child's death. The characters are very believable and show how different people deal with the death of a loved one in lots of different ways. This is going to be a good one to have the in the library.

Can I just say, the effect of this novel is rather spoiled by the opening. If we know that Sammy is going to die, his diagnosis loses some of its impact. And its not like it would have been a total surprise without that. I suspected something like cancer or an horrific accident just from the description. its a decent read overall, though I was not surprised to learn that Little does not have a background in writing. The knowledge of science and medicine is stronger than the knowledge of kids and elementary school and rural living. The writing shows a lot of promise, though.

From Ant to Eagle is a well-executed story of siblings. It captures the peculiar dynamic of brothers with balance, not too heavy on the sibling manipulation or on the (very real) love that exists. This book made me cry more than I expected.

3.5 stars.

I enjoyed this book--if that's the right word for it? It kept me reading, and at times I smiled or had tears in my eyes... or both. The vibe was a bit BRIDGE TO TERABITHIA in a few places, which I liked a lot.

This book does a good job of exploring how illness affects the loved ones around the ill person. I think it would be a great resource for kids dealing with a friend or sibling's sickness--or friends who want to understand what their peers in houses of illness are going through. There were several bits of really valuable trauma advice shown through Oliver, Aleta, and other minor characters helping Cal along. Those insights were probably my favorite parts.

The portrayal of sibling relationships is well done, though perhaps Sammy could have been a *touch* less perfect. I also really liked the parents in this, and actually wouldn't have minded exploring a bit more of their depth through Cal's interactions.

The book did feel a bit like someone who wasn't a writer wrote it--some small sentence errors, or a few places where the narrator felt like an adult more than a child. The pace also was rather unreliable--really slow for long stretches, then fast and tense, then slow again. I think part of that is just a side effective of writing about illness (which doesn't have a perfect story arc), but made the story feel a little like a slightly off-balance early draft. I worry that the abundant references to the Goosebumps books will age this one, unfortunately, and part of me wished the editor had taken a few steps to move this story into a timeless realm where it didn't stand in danger of feeling outdated.

However, I appreciate Alex Lyttle taking his expertise as a pediatrician to capture this story, and I think most of these things have a lot to do with this being his debut. Plus that cover is gorgeous. I think this book would be a valuable companion to hurting kids. :)