I love it when children's books bridge the gap between generations and are just as enjoyable to read as an adult, and this lovely story does just that.

Set in Niagara Falls in the summer of 1960, Brenda befriends a new neighbour, Maureen. Maureen is one of those friends who plenty of us have experience of, one who challenges our comfort zone but also leads us astray. Their very unbalanced friendship reminded me strongly of someone who befriended me when I was just becoming a teenager.

The real beauty of the story is the friendship between Brenda and her next-door neighbour Harvey – a man with learning disabilities who is shunned by much of their neighbourhood, but fully welcomed into Brenda's life.

The story is a charming little vignette into a few weeks of summer, through a child's eyes. I would have loved this book as a child, and loved it too as an adult who was craving a simple, quick read.

Reading this as an adult was tough; I was able to see the story unfold from two different perspectives: a "wise" adult and a child just trying to survive adolescence. I believe kids will relate to all of the characters. A great story about true friendship, peer pressure, and standing up for what's right.

I received an advance copy. All thoughts are my own.

This was an okay book about friendship. Since this book is billed as historical fiction, I read it with my sixth grader who likes that genre, but we really didn't think it fell into that category. Also, I think it might have been better suited for younger children.

Coming in at under 200 pages, this was basically a short story about Brenda and her unusual friendship with Maureen. The story is sparse, leaving much to assume by the reader. I would say that the story is more of a look at Brenda and Maureen's characters, but even that is a stretch as the looks are cursory. I feel that as much as was included, more was left out. Maybe this was the intent but the feeling it left was of neglect. I would have loved the inclusion of a couple heartfelt conversations between Brenda and Maureen to make this a much stronger book about friendship.

I finished it, but I didn't like it. I didn't "like" either of the main characters and sigh, I wanted to. This was a miss for me, but maybe not for others. The Canadian setting was awesome though.

Until Niagara Falls
by Jennifer Maruno
Dundurn Press

Dundurn

Children's Fiction , Middle Grade
Pub Date 25 Feb 2020


I am reviewing a copy of Until Niagara Falls through Dundurn Press and Netgalley:


Brenda is afraid of things that some may find strange like heights, being in the dark and dog poop. When she meets the rule breaking Maureen she realizes that friendship is kind of like walking on a tight rope, exciting but dangerous. Maureen encourages Brenda to step out of her comfort zone, by using fire escapes, sleeping outside in tents and walking through strange back yards.


When Maureen makes fun of Harvey, Brenda’s neighbor who has special needs, the friendship strains. And it strains farther when Maureen borrows Brenda’s Grandmother’s bracelet and lies about returning it, the friendship strains even farther, making Brenda realize she needs to be as brave as The Great Blondin, the man who walked across the falls to get it back.


Until Niagara Falls is a story of Friendship, of acceptance of learning to step outside of comfort zones and of being brave.


I give Until Niagara Falls five out of five stars!


Happy Reading!

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a DRC of this title for review. All opinions are my own.

So, here's the thing. My assistant at work and I talk about books ALL. THE. TIME. Which, is a good thing, considering we work in a library. BUT, this also means that we have discovered a shorthand when talking about and reviewing books with one another. And I have a very distinct tell. If I give a one shouldered shrug when I start talking about a book, my assistant KNOWS that that means it was just "OK", a meh read that I will probably end up ordering, but won't be too excited about. A niche book that will help round out a collection, but not a must-read.

This book wouldn't have even gotten a shoulder shrug.

I can't even say that this book was "meh" because I was so disappointed throughout. I kept thinking to myself, "really? that's all this book is going to cover?" If you read the blurb provided on Goodreads or the back of the book, do not expect anything more than that. It really is just about Brenda hanging out with a new girl one summer and the new girl being basically awful. And Brenda just takes it. It is historical fiction, but only because it is set during a summer that must have been from the author's past and only because she wanted to write about a pickle naming contest (no, I'm not making this up). According to the end notes and included information, there was a real pickle naming contest and she kept very true to it.

This is not a middle grade book. If anything, it might appeal to readers grades 2-4. Maybe. But the historical aspect isn't developed enough to mean anything, so it ends up just being boring. The friendship lacks any "aha" moments and the growth within Brenda is marginal. Extra characters end up being so underdeveloped as to be just an annoying distraction.

Final verdict: pass on adding this to your collection. There are many other books that tell better stories and in better ways than this one.

Until Niagara Falls is a summertime story about Brenda, a rather timid, rule-following, imaginative girl who has grown up in Niagara Falls. When Maureen bursts into her life, she is astounded at her new friend’s boldness and disregard of rules. She finds herself following Maureen even when she feels uncomfortable, and despite Maureen’s mean remarks to Brenda.
Through the story, Brenda gains empathy as she sees the difficulty of Maureen’s home life. She also learns to stand up for herself and say no to Maureen. I really enjoyed the connections to the Great Blondin that Brenda makes.

Thank you NetGalley and Dundurn Press for this free digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

Description
Is friendship supposed to feel like walking over the falls?

Brenda is afraid of heights, being in the dark, and dog poop. Then she meets daring, rule-breaking Maureen and realizes their friendship is a bit like walking a tightrope — exciting but dangerous. Maureen encourages Brenda to use fire escapes, sleep outside in a tent, and walk through strange backyards.

Their friendship strains when Maureen makes fun of Harvey, Brenda's special needs neighbour. It strains even further when Maureen borrows Gran's bracelet and lies about returning it. Suddenly, Brenda realizes she has to be as brave as The Great Blondin, the man who walked across the falls, to get it back.

A well written coming of age story that shows us a blooming friendship between Brenda and Maureen.
Brenda lives with her Grandma and Father. She's asked by the school to walk a sick Maureen home since they live near each other. The estranged friendship begins after that. Brenda is a rule follower and Maureen is a rule breaker and very disrespectful kid.

Until Niagara Falls is a story of an unlikely friendship. A girl with a sheltered life learns about the hardships that others face and how to stand up for herself and others. It was an interesting story over all. The Niagara Falls setting will be nostalgic for many readers.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Although I definitely enjoyed the Canadian setting, I did not like the main friendship between Brenda and Maureen. I also felt that Maureen was not an enjoyable character, and did nothing to redeem herself for me by the end of the book.

Maureen and Brenda seem like the two most unlikely friends. Despite the fact that they are totally different they find themselves spending their entire summer together. Rising early to meet and share whatever adventure the day holds.

Maureen is rude and Ill mannered which makes sense when you understand her family dynamic. Brenda is obedient and meek, which makes sense after you meet her no-nonsense grandmother.

It seems that Brenda stays friends with Maureen because she has no better options. Maureen seeks Brenda's friendship because also seeks opportunity for food, respite from her large struggling family, and her siblings who aren't nice to her.

The story shows these two characters walking a tightrope on what they will put up with in order to get what they need out of their friendship. While they both start out needing each other for different reasons it is clear by the end of the story that Maureen and Brenda have become true friends.

I enjoyed this tale of an unlikely friendship where a somewhat sheltered girl learned about the hardships that others face and how to stand up for herself and others. It's a great story that really teaches about sticking up to your friends when you need to.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Until Niagara Falls honestly disturbed me at first. Brenda’s new friend Maureen was such a bully and so mean to her. It really made me mad! But in the end, things really came together and I enjoyed it overall.

This is the story of an unlikely friendship. The story of a bitter little girl who looks at life in a negative way. The fact that it is in Niagara Falls does not help the story. .

I believe this book would be perfect in a classroom setting. It is a great learning tool where issues such as poverty, morality, and navigating new friendships can be explored and discussed in groups. Brenda begins the story a bit naive, and her friendship with Maureen opens her up to people and lives that contrast with her own. Readers can examine her actions and choices and reflect on how they might have reacted in the same situations. It's classified is a middle grade novel, but I feel that the book may do better with a younger audience - maybe as fifth grade required reading.

Are you nostalgic for summers as a kid? Riding your bikes everywhere. Spending your days swimming and hanging out with friends. Then this is the book for you. Such a quaint read about a young girl who befriends a new girl in town that is a little more rough around the edges than she’s used to.

I also loved the setting of Niagara Falls. As a child my family went to Niagara Falls every summer for our summer vacation. Reading about it again made my heart smile 😊

Brenda is wrapping up her school year when she meets an unexpected friend who ends up giving her chicken pox. She and Maureen quickly become friends and they spend the summer hanging out, swimming, and volunteering at the library. But Maureen isn't always the best friend, as Brenda soon finds out. Maureen sometimes takes things that aren't hers or pressures Brenda into doing things that Brenda doesn't want to do but is unsure of how to get out of. But Brenda soon realizes that she will have to start standing up for herself or face the consequences.

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I think this is a really great story for this age group. It forces young readers to think about peer pressure and have conversations about this through the context of the book. It also encourages readers to think about other people's situations and recognize that everyone comes from different backgrounds and walks of life, teaching empathy in an easier to understand way. The writing was simple but engaging and I never felt like the plot was slowing down or moving to quickly. Overall a really great read!

Until Niagara Falls by Jennifer Maruno is a charming, nostalgic story about friendship, growing up, and the lifelong lessons that are acquired along the way. This is a book that evoked memories from my childhood, and also brought pleasant recollections of the types of novels that I would devour during my own middle school years.

In 1960, Brenda is living with her father and grandmother in Niagara Falls, Ontario when new girl Maureen arrives in town. The two girls form a friendship of sorts that is not without its ups and downs, yet despite their many differences the girls bring to one another's lives what each has been missing. For Brenda, Maureen represents daring adventures and chances taken, while Maureen gains stability and a sense of loyalty from the time she spends with Brenda's close family. Ultimately, this is a story of friendship, forgiveness, and coming of age at a time when childhood seemed altogether more innocent. Recommended.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Dundurn Press for this ARC.