Wunder believes in miracles to the point he calls himself a miracologist. That is until he looses his baby sister. Then he does a 180 and decides he no longer believes. Then the day comes that a witch tells him to eat a her a tree. It is to be planted in the graveyard for all the locals to experience a miracle. The cops get him and his friends for taking the rare plant that is worth a lot of money and again Wunder’s faith falters. 

This was a cute book but the ending was just ok for me. I get it but for me, I wanted more. I do think it could help some who grieve for those they’ve lost. Maybe a child, I don’t know. All I know is that it wasn’t what I was expecting as an ending but I suppose it was more realistic than something I was hoping for. 

In the end it was just ok for me.

⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

The Miraculous deals with a sensitive topic, the loss of a newborn, and how it impacts a family. It is the story about a boy called Wunder who is a miraculogist. He documents every miracle that happens around him. When his baby sister is dead after eight days of living, he loses his interest in miracles and his parents are in their own sorrow cocoons. He happens to meet an old woman and make a new friend. Both of them light his interest in miracles again. He embarks on a journey with his friend Faye and makes a realization that there are no miracles without loss and vice-versa. When the time comes for the final miracle that could melt his stone heart, something unexpected happens.

The story was interesting until the end but the ending felt unbelievable. It could be because I come from a different religion and we perceive life after death differently from what is written in this book. However, kudos to the author for taking such a sensitive and much-needed topic. It is a feat of bravery.

What I Liked
The overall sweetness of this story is its real strength, along with the very real and painful consequences of bereavement and grief. Wunder's parents, but especially his mother, are devastated by the loss of his baby sister, and the effect their grief has on their relationship and on Wunder is very realistic. The way the kids act in this story is very accurate to how grief can play out in real life: from Wunder's rejection of anything good or "miraculous," to his friends' uncertainty of how to approach the subject with him, there's a range of emotional interaction with his sister's death.

What I Would Have Liked to See
I think the story did everything it set out to do! I need nothing else from it.

My Favorite!
Faye! Especially this line: “I’m only human, Wundie. Sometimes you have to scream.” What an honest statement. Faye is an incredible new friend for Wunder, coming to him at a time that he needs her and someone with her insight the most.

TL;DR
Wunder Ellis loses his belief in miracles when tragedy strikes his family, and maybe only a weird girl at school and a witch in a spooky house can help him get it back.

Jess Redman's debut novel, The Miraculous, is the story of 11-year-old Wunder, who loses his belief in miracles when his infant sister dies. With a quirky friend, Faye, he visits an old woman who may be a witch who asks them to believe. The story is warm, sweet and filled with magic and mystery. Together, the children learn how to face grief and loss and tragedy with redeeming love. Recommended for children who may be grappling with these issues.

*received a free copy from netgalley* I ended up getting a free copy of this book from netgalley after I won a print copy and switched between the two. The story is very different for middle grade, but very important, I have never lost a younger sibling but I did lose all 4 of my grandparents before I was an adult and I feel if a book like this had been out then I would have read it for sure. very touching important middle grade book with an important message about gilt.


the only thing I don't really care for is faye. anyone who doesn't respect your name and continues to call you a name you have specifically told them not to, is not a friend and that behavior shouldn't be encourage or ignored, may seem small but imo its super important, I have a short name but ive only ever had one person refuse to call me by my name and I didn't put up with that for long at all. if someone asks you to call them something specfic, just do it.

This middle-grade was one of the most anticipated of 2019 and I am so grateful that I was able to check it out. One of my favorite things about middle grade novels is that they are often hopeful and adventurous and fun all in one smaller volume. The Miraculous, even though it is a story of grief, is one such novel, and I think every reader should try to make room for. I included it on The Young Folks list for 20 Books To Read before 2020.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This book took me a long time to get through. I didn't struggle with anything specific, but I wasn't able to maintain focus to read. I do need to say this book contains greif, child loss, depression of a child and family members... it also contains healing and hope and friendships.

Wunder is a young boy who has lost a sibling. In his grief, his family's grief, and depression, he's also shunned his friends, until the eccentric and outgoing girl, who has also lost someone close, helps pull him from his shell. Together they face their grief and form a bond. The mysterious witch gives them small tasks, and through their labour, learn to hope again.

Overall I liked the story, but because it took me so long to focus and get through it, I really can't say I loved it. Perhaps younger audiences will appreciate it more than I did as an adult.

Another great book for those dealing with loss. I recommend it to anyone who is going through losing a loved one. While it presents fictitious elements of magic, the message of honoring and remembering the dead is not fictitious.

The Miraculous, by Jess Redman, is a beautifully written story about the power of everyday miracles. The story follows an eleven-year-old boy named Wunder. Wunder has declared himself a miracologist ever since he had a magical experience in the woods. Since that day, Wunder has devoted his life to researching and following the miraculous stories of those in his community.

However, after the death of his baby sister, Wunder's faith in miracles becomes lost. His parents are broken and lost in their own grief. Wunder is left on his own to navigate his complicated feelings.

That is, until the day of his sister's funeral. On that day, Wunder runs into a girl from school. Her name is Faye, and she is at the graveyard visiting the gravestone of her recently passed grandfather.

As the story continues, Faye's and Wunder's lives becoming increasingly intertwined as they befriend the old lady in the abandoned house in the woods. Both feel the old lady may be hiding something, and Faye is convinced she is a witch. Never-the-less, the two agree to help deliver letters to members throughout the town.

The journey Faye and Wunder embark on will change both of their lives forever. Their friendship will be tested and the two will each have to face the realities of their grief. It is through this journey that the two may once and for all find out what is miraculous about life after all.

Wunder has diligently made note of all the miraculous events in his life, and that of his community, but grief takes many forms, and with the death of his infant sister, he discards his journal, and embarks on a complicated journey, both mentally and physically. Accompanied by an outspoken girl, and intrigued by the sudden appearance of an old woman who is living in an empty house near the town cemetery, this mystery intensifies as Wunder and Faye deliver invitations throughout the town. Perfect for those who like a bit of magical realism with their autumn mystery.

Wunder Ellis is a miracologist, dutifully cataloging stories of the miraculous in a journal. However, after his newborn sister dies, Wunder stops the stories— miracles don’t exist. But then he meets Faye and, in turn, the woman who lives in the crumbling house near the cemetery. Though Wunder can’t say for sure if she’s a witch, he follows her instructions for a journey that makes him reconsider friendship, grief, and even miracles.

There are few books that, within the first sentences, feel special. They’re different in an almost intangible way. And yet, there’s an energy that radiates through their prose — effortless and compelling — that suggests something wondrous is to come.

That’s what author Jess Redman has managed to accomplish in her debut novel. To be fair, with a main character named Wunder, that’s sort of implied. Yet, this complicated and driven kid just trying to find his way after the death of his infant sister is the glue that binds this work together. Disconnected from his friends and navigating a home life with parents who are also struggling, he pushes aside the miracles that have defined the first part of his life. Yet underneath is his optimistic, curious side that drives him into an adventure full of potential magic.

Perhaps that’s what Redman has done best of all: she’s crafted an expression of the healing process as it relates to grief. Wunder’s moods buck and weave, grappling to find peaceful equilibrium in his sorrow. And through it all he seeks answers, about miracles and about himself. It’s all part of the healing process.

While this might sound heavy — and it certainly is — that’s not to suggest there’s no fun. Faye is the perfect partner, unapologetically boisterous and ready to tackle the world. She sneaks into Wunder’s protective shell and propels him into taking risks. After all, there’s a potentially witch out there who has a quest, and that needs investigating. Just like in life, there’s plenty of joy in sorrow.

Redman has written a story that thrusts the darkness of death into the light while punctuating with a hug. As a result, The Miraculous is a breathtaking debut.

Jess Redman has delivered a heart-warming and powerful debut novel in THE MIRACULOUS. A story about loss, love, hope, and miracles. When Wunder's infant sister dies, after holding on for eight days, he loses this belief in miracles. He meets a young girl, Faye, and an old women, who both help him restore his faith in miracles. This book debuts on July 30th, 201 and will make a great additional to school libraries, especially for children looking for books with characters handling grief.

The overall message of this book is contradictory. On the one hand the topic of death, especially that of a younger sibling, is addressed in an accessible way. There is also much hope as the town is brought together by the deliveries of Wunder and Faye. I also loved the way Faye's character was so comfortable in her own skin and steadfast in supporting Wunder (Wundie) in the midst of his family crisis. We are indeed all witnesses of miracles (as defined by Wunder) and slowing down enough to see them and connect with each other is indeed a blessing. My biggest objection to this novel is the fact that a witch is given the credit for drawing the town together when it should be given to God.

Thank you to Macmillan and NetGalley for providing a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This one gave me a lot to think about. An open-ended view on life, death, and the relationship between the living and the dead, it would be a great fit for a child who has experienced loss and is seeking some semblance of understanding and hope.

The Miraculous explores a very heavy topic (death of a sibling, in this case a sister who was only eight days old) in a way that is accessible to young readers - it's deeply sad, but it is also full of hope. The main character, Wunder, is easy to love. The author does a great job of showing the toll his sister's death has taken on him and how complicated processing grief as a child can be, especially when you add in the fact that the parents are also dealing with their own sadness. I had a tough time with Wunder's parents at points (leaving his sister's crib in his bedroom for weeks after her death is just one example) but I understood the importance of showing that adults aren't always able to put on a brave face for their children. The miraculous events toward the end of the story were a bit much for me, as well as the whole Doorway House witch, but overall I thought this was a well-done middle grade book on grief.

The Miraculous was an interesting book. It has the ever present themes of good things and bad things happening to all of us, the way it unites people, the way we need to keep believing that those good things are still there no matter what - we just need to be ready to acknowledge them. It left me wanting something different. A bigger miracle of some sort? But, I guess, having a bigger miracle as an event in this book would be against the very idea that miracles are already all around.

Wunder Ellis is a collector of miracles. That is, until he loses his baby sister upon birth. The Ellis family mournes, each in their own way. It is Wunder, and his belief in miracles, that is able to heal himself, and those around him.

This heartfelt story is beautifully written and a perfect story for youngsters dealing with death. It has hope, grief, family, friendship, magic, healing, faith, and miracles.

The Miraculous is the perfect read for middle graders and their first experiences dealing with death. It is kind and soothing, with the right touch of adventure. My 4th grade readers will love it.

Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read/review this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Interest Level: 3-6

Do you believe in miracles? Do you believe in witches? Do you believe in reincarnation? These are all questions that 11-year-old Wunder Ellis struggles with. When he was 5-years-old he became a miracologist - someone who believes in and records the miracles of others. He and his parents were walking in the woods and he ran ahead of them. He ended up in front of an old, run-down house that was made of a very odd wood. As a crow cawed above him the spirals in the wood started spinning, he felt dizzy, and was all of the sudden filled with a miracle feeling. He saw a shadow in an upper window but his parents told him that no one lived in The Doorway House. From that day forward, and with the help of his parents, Wunder wrote down miracles of others. He even clipped out newspaper articles which recorded miracles. He even named his book The Miraculous. Now Wunder is eleven and he doesn't believe in miracles anymore, not since his baby sister died. She was 8-days-old when she passed away and Wunder expected a miracle. Now he has lost faith as he watches his family crumble apart. Then Wunder meets Faye, an outspoken girl who goes around all day wearing a cape. Faye has experienced death in her family also and she believes in the paranormal. Wunder and Faye realize that the day after his sister passed away that an old woman, who Faye insists is a witch, shows up on the porch of the abandoned Doorway House. The witch sends Wunder and Faye on a series of errands that will make Wunder rethink his opinions of miracles. Is this witch his sister reincarnated like Faye believes? Can this witch find a way to mend Wunder's broken family? Or will her errands land them in jail? Will Wunder ever believe in miracles ever again? Read this touching tale of grief, mourning, friendship, love and above all having faith when all seems lost.

The Miraculous is Jess Redman's debut middle-grade novel and I believe she hit it out of the park with this one. This book will take your heart and break it then find a way to mend it back stronger than ever. You might need a box of Kleenex near you for those sad and happy tears. Don't miss this debut 2019 book!!

I absolutely loved this book. I can imagine reading it to my own children. It is a lovely meditation on miracles, sadness, joy, death and renewal. I think many children will love this book. It also has humor in the right places. For people who are fans of Ophelia and the Marvelous Boy, The Mysterious Benedict Society, and other lovely books that explore joy and grief in families. So good.

Thank you, NetGalley for the gigital ARC aid this middle grade.

Wow. What a beautiful book. The writing g was gorgeous. The characters were so real. The story line was intriguing and full of emotion. This middle grade book will be well known. Loss is never an easy subject to tackle, especially in middle grade books, but this story manages to weave hope, love, friendship, and miracles into the experiences of grief in a way that brings light to the loss.

The characters, Wunder & Faye, in particular were such a pleasure to follow. Wunder is such a real and true portrayal of a child trying to sift through his emotions and family after losing his eight day old baby sister. Faye is an unforgettable character, so honest and with a voice that only belongs to her. She’s so vivid, you can hear her voice and see exactly who she is as you read.

Third through sixth grade teachers: add this one to your list to buy. I think it’d make an excellent read aloud as well. You do not want to miss this one. This is hands-down my favorite middle grade read of 2019 so far.