I have *complicated* feelings about this book. But I think that is kind of the whole point of this story. But even though there is a resolution, it left me with a longing for more peace. Which life doesn't always give us. And I think is part of the point.

This book is very heavy in dealing with the loss of a sibling in childhood. But to add to that there is an over the top cruel bully and a suicide attempt by an adult that add to the extreme heaviness of the story. I think that's why when I finished the book I was still weighed down by the sheer weight of sadness within. There isn't enough of an upswing for me. The bully doesn't get her comeuppance. The adult suicide plot is a side plot in the third act and doesn't get enough of a conclusion, especially for a middle grade novel.

This book does explore grief in a really interesting and honest way, but I would find it very difficult to press this into the hands of a middle grade reader. I am normally drawn to middle grade fiction because there is always such hope in these stories, but this one didn't give me that same hopeful satisfaction.

I will say the prose is lovely in this novel. The descriptions of nature are vivid and the way poetry is weaved into he narrative flows nicely.
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This is a middle grade book that deals with some heavy topics. Depression, suicidal thoughts, child drowning, and bullying/blackmail are all found within.

Thanks to Shadow Mountain for a copy of this book to review. All opinions are my own.

Elements of this book: Montana, Latina main characters, Sibling loss (drowning), School choir, Bullying, Counseling through trauma, Friendships, Community, Set in March

Thank you to NetGalley and Publishers for this arc.

Missing Okalee is a very important novel for young people.
Touches on place, family, loss, and grief. A powerful book that touches on processing traumatic events,

This book was hard to read as a mom and sister due to the death of the sibling. It was well written, just very emotional and I had to stop reading it several times. It might be too intense for my 5th graders.

A book about family, life, over coming challenges, and being true to yourself. This book felt fresh and new while I was reading it and was really engaging throughout.

I absolutely love middle grade fiction. This was a touching, yet hard book to read at times. The weight and guilt of what Phoebe went through was done well by the author.

This was a story that was a joy to consume! This will awaken the imagination of anyone who reads it!

Wow, this was a powerful read. A story about pain, redemption, repentance, and forgiveness.

Phoebe is not perfect like her little sister, Okalee. Okalee is smart, optimistic, and makes friends with everyone. Phoebe is a little more rough around the edges and struggles in school. One thing that Phoebe does have though, is a passion for singing. With Okalee's encouragement, Phoebe lands a coveted spot in the school choir concert. Another girl, Kat, has always gotten this part, so there is a lot of resentment there.

It is River Day, a day when the two sisters cross over to celebrate the beginning of Spring. Being bigger, Phoebe insists they hold hands to stay safe. Okalee is determined to cross on her own and a tragic accident enfolds. So many people are affected by this tragedy. Phoebe holds great guilt when she lies about what happened, she gets stage fright at crucial moments and her mom is completely heartbroken over it. Kat is determined to take that solo for herself.

There were a lot of tears while reading this one. So much was going on and I was rooting for Phoebe the whole way. I loved watching the relationships evolve and there was so much truth in how it was handled. Beautiful story that can be hard to read if you've ever dealt with the loss of a loved one.

Thanks to NetGalley and Shadow Mountain for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you, NetGalley, for an e-ARC of Missing Okalee by Laura Ojeda Melchor.
A story of friendship, sisters, and loss. A story that looks at relationships and guilt. A great book to help tweens learn about empathy and heartache. Beautifully written story that touches your heart.

Have tissues nearby! What a heartbreaking story. I think I kind of knew what was going to happen before I started reading the book, but not enough that I wasn't completely horrified when it did. And the burden that Phoebe makes herself carry was so heavy, it made my heart hurt. Yes, this is a horribly sad story. But there is light at the end of the tunnel, so I definitely recommend reading it.

Missing Okalee is a middle grade novel exploring a sister bond and grief. After losing Okalee in an unimaginable way, her sister must come to terms with her death. While navigating her all encompassing grief, she is also navigating the perplexities of middle school. This was an emotional coming of age story that shattered my heart!

Nature has a predominant feature in this book and I loved that aspect. The writing is geared for middle grade but is almost lyrical in its presentation. I loved the book Bridge to Terabithia as a child and Missing Okalee was very reminiscent of that. The writing is fantastic and brings the emotions to life. The sorrow of this family was palpable and my heart broke for them. This was a heavy read, and my role as a mother added another layer to the story for me. The characters were full of depth and their raw grief showcases the many ways that people grieve after a traumatic loss. I would recommend this book for older readers because of the subject matter but I enjoyed it! 4⭐️ My thanks to @shadowmountainpub for sending me a gifted copy in exchange for my honest review!

Phoebe Paz Petersen feels like she lives in the shadows of her little sister, Okalee. Okalee is smart and cheerful, she seems to have it all. Phoebe finally feels like she has the chance to shine when she is chosen for the solo in the school choir, and Okalee is thrilled for her. Okalee and Phoebe are still close, in spite of their difference. When they decide to celebrate their secret tradition, River Day, where they cross the cold, rushing river at the beginning of spring together, something goes terribly wrong.
Determined to still sing her solo, in honor of Okalee, Phoebe presses on, but her voice refuses to work. And on top of that her rival is doing everything in her power to stop Okalee from singing the solo, including spreading rumors about what really happened at the river. Phoebe worries that if she tells the truth no one will forgive her. Can Phoebe find her voice in time to honor her sister and heal what has been broken?
This is a heart-wrenching story of sisterhood and family and truth. It takes a look at the effect that loss and grief can have on different people. The reader will develop empathy for the characters in the book, and hopefully carry that over into the world around them. It was a good book, although emotional to read.

This was a touching story about loss and forgiveness. I felt awful for Phoebe. Right at the very beginning she mentioned her little sister being her parents' favorite child, and then with everything that happened she felt a lot less loved. It was heart wrenching.

The main focus was a tragedy, and if that wasn't enough it was surrounded by guilt and a mean girl that caused added pain. And then there was a bit of a mystery involved.

Some of the thoughts/dialogue seemed much more mature than a sixth grader would have, but it was a very engaging story. I'd read more by this author.

This middle grade book tackles tough issues like bullying, struggles with siblings and peers, trauma, loss, grief, guilt, and dishonesty.

Phoebe feels like she is living in the shadow of her little sister Okalee, who everyone loves. She thinks things will change and she will finally be noticed if she is chosen to sing the solo in the school program. Instead, Phoebe is traumatized when Okalee drowns, leading her to lie about what happened so her parents won’t know she is to blame. This causes her to be overcome with guilt along with her grief until a kind counselor helps her learn to forgive herself.

I thought the story was very well written. Readers understand and empathize with Phoebe from the beginning. It was also very heavy and sad but ends on a happier, hopeful note. Thanks to Shadow Mountain Publishing for an ARC to use for my review.

It’s difficult to know what to say about this book. It deals with hard situations, death and grief and guilt. It will definitely not be for everyone, but I could see myself recommending this to those who like this sort of thing or someone whose circumstances may be similar. It’s a well-crafted story.

Pheobe and Okalee are sisters. There’s a little rivalry there, but for the most part they get along well and have a good relationship. When a fatal accident occurs, Pheobe gets scared and lies about what really happened. So she’s not only dealing with grief but with guilt.

There are great lessons learned. This story would certainly warrant discussion about how lies make a hard situation even worse and how truth helps in healing. There are some incredibly unlikeable characters and unfair situations that are hard to read about. This could aide in a discussion about what to do when life isn’t fair.

Disclaimer: I received this e-arc from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.

Book: Missing Okalee

Author: Laura Ojeda Melchor

Book Series: Standalone

Diversity: Cuban MC, Chippewa cree side characters, Lantinx side characters

Rating: 4/5

Recommended For...: middle grade readers, contemporary, drama

Genre: MG Contemporary

Publication Date: September 7, 2021

Publisher: Shadow Mountain

Pages: 256

Recommended Age: 12+ (Religion, Drowning, Grief, Bullying, Blackmail, Attempted suicide mentioned, Slight violence)

Explanation of CWs: Drowning is shown and talked about in detail. Bullying is shown throughout the book. Religion is sparsely mentioned. There is an attempted suicide mentioned in passing. There is also one punch thrown and aggressive shaking.

Synopsis: When compared to her nearly perfect little sister, Phoebe Paz Petersen feels she doesn’t measure up in her parents’ eyes. Okalee is smart and beloved for her sunny disposition, but if Phoebe can get picked for the coveted solo in the school choir, she’ll stop being a middle-school nobody and finally get her chance to shine.

The sisters have one very special, secret tradition: River Day—when they hold hands and make their way across the cold, rushing Grayling River to celebrate the first hint of spring. This year’s River Day crossing, however, goes horribly wrong, and Phoebe’s world is suddenly turned upside down.

Heartbroken and facing life without Okalee, Phoebe is more determined than ever to sing the solo in the school concert as a way of speaking to her sister one last time. But Phoebe’s so traumatized by what happened, she’s lost her beautiful singing voice.

Kat Waters wants the solo for herself and is spreading a terrible rumor about what really happened to Okalee on River Day. If Phoebe tells the truth, she fears her family will never forgive her and she may never get to sing her goodbye to Okalee

Review: For the most part I really liked this book. I thought that the book was beautifully well written with well developed characters and incredible World building. I feel like if you have a child that is looking for a contemporary book or one that's filled with a slight bit of drama in it, then this is the best book that they can start off with.

However, I did get mad throughout the book with the main character's mother and with the bullying situation. I feel like she was emotionally abusive and I did not like how it made it so her behavior was acceptable given that she was going through grief. I know that in times of grief people act way differently than what they would normally, but when you're a parent that is no excuse to say the things that this character said to her daughter. I also didn't like how the bullying situation was centered on it being the main characters problems to resolve. There are two big instances where the bullying pushed the main character over the cliff so to speak and she retaliated in an aggressive manner. Well acting out violently is not something that kids should be doing on a regular basis, I feel like the whole of the circumstance wasn't considered and I did not feel like the other students were given punishments for their part in the action.

Verdict: It's good!

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to read an ARC of Missing Okalee!

I basically cried through this whole book. It is the incredibly beautiful and heartbreaking story of 12-year-old Phoebe, whose little sister, Okalee, drowns in a river during a secret ritual that the sisters have always shared. Phoebe feels guilty for her sister's death, and she has to figure out how to process her grief and find the strength to carry on. She deals with a lot of bullying and blame, and her family nearly gets torn apart in the aftermath of this tragic event. It is quite a dark book in many ways, but it is nonetheless a very powerful story. The writing style is breathtaking, and I found myself totally unable to put it down. I wanted to know what happened to Phoebe and her family in the end, and I felt satisfied with the way the story ended.

Definitely recommend!!

This was definitely an emotional journey. The story told from the eyes of a young girl, hits all the emotional notes. The story felt like something from Katherine Patterson, Bridge to Terebithia or Jacob Have I loved. It showed the journey of guilt and of forgiveness in a way that was definitely experienced rather than read, The emotions were real, the relationships genuine, and the healing was authentic. Phoebe's relationships with her friends and her rivals grew throughout the story as they all fought their grief in this book. The light in this is the healing journey Phoebe and her family experience.

I received an early copy on NetGalley and this is my honest review.

This book is aimed at middle-grade readers but as a warning, the book deals with death, guilt, grief, bullying, and other heavy topics.

Phoebe and Okalee are close sisters and while they might fight or argue on occasion, they are a strong support system for each other. That is until River Day and Okalee dies in the river. What follows is Phoebe's attempt to deal with what happened that day and the guilt she feels about the situation.

The story is heavy and my heart breaks for Phoebe and everything she has to deal with including a bully that spreads rumors and has Phoebe questioning what really happened that day. Did the events occur as she remembered? Did someone see what happened? We also see how the death of her sister impacts her parents, especially her mother who spirals down into depression.

I like how Phoebe does realize that she needs to talk to someone about the situation and talks to the school counselor. It reminds us that we cannot bottle all of our emotions up and sometimes talking to someone else helps us through a tragedy or to sort things out in our head. The guilt has also impacted Phoebe's ability to sing which only delights the bully since she wants to sing the solo in the school pageant that Phoebe rightfully earned. I was disappointed that the school didn't intervene more regarding the bullying but I am not sure how much they really knew since Phoebe doesn't report the acts.

Overall, I enjoyed this book and it brings to mind that life can be hard and that it is ok to ask for help and to grieve a loss. This may not be for everyone but would be a great book to discuss with younger children and how they might handle certain situations. We give this 5 paws up.

Thank you for letting me read this book. I found the writing compelling and turned pages to the end. However, the guilt pervading the book seemed too intense and unrelieved for a middle grade book to me. I also found the ending rather abrupt without some leaning into it earlier. I will not be using this on my blog for these reasons.

Well that just broke my heart into a million pieces. That's what I expected, though, so I'm not mad. "Missing Okalee" is a story about grief and trauma, and the guilt that we carry through that grief. It's also a story of sisterhood and friendship, and the courage it takes to come out on the other side of hard times.

Phoebe was a wonderful protagonist to follow, I was rooting for her to succeed from the first page. Okalee was a sweetheart, but I loved how she was shown to be flawed, too. Wardie is the best friend in existence, oh my word.

The thing that made me knock off the half star is the bullying that's going on? and no one is saying anything? like, Kat is a nightmare and none of the adults are at least a little curious as to why when Phoebe lashes out, it's only at Kat? I get that punching a girl in the face is not great behavior, but no one's asking why? (I will admit that I cheered a little when that finally happened, oops xD)
((also wow does Phoebe's mom need to stop being awful to her daughter, I get that you've lost the one but that does not excuse the way she treats Phoebe.))

Overall, this made me tear up several times, and I definitely feel like it's going to be an important book for kids going through rough stuff. I really enjoyed the writing style, the setting, and the characters. So yeah, I'd recommend, but cautiously, because there's definitely a lot of triggers for grief (specifically loss of a child or a sibling).

4.5 stars from me!