4.5 stars

Oh, I enjoyed this so much, and it has earned an instant place on my to-rec list for students.

There are two timelines happening in this middle grade novel: 2020, where Matthew, the m.c., is suffering through the pandemic at home as we all did, and 1930s Ukraine where Matthew's great-grandmother (GG? Gigi? I listened to the audio, so I'm not sure which is correct) is a young girl. The novel begins in the present day-ish with Matthew, and readers learn that GG (who is now close to 100 years old!) is staying with his mother and him. Matthew has a lot of feelings about what is and is not fair in his life, what's up with his parents, and what the heck is going on with both the pandemic and his gaming system, so it's especially compelling when he starts to prioritize learning GG's secrets instead.

I just loved this. GG is an incredibly compelling character, and while I wanted a bit more development of Matthew at the very end of the novel, that's a small complaint that doesn't tarnish the overall quality of the work. The flow between periods and characters is seamless, and readers need a heart of ice to not connect with GG and her story.

Transparently, I got hooked by the suggestion that fans of Ruta Sepetys might enjoy this one. I really enjoy that author, too, so much so that I felt a little skeptical upon entry. But I now absolutely think that's a fair comparison and would encourage anyone who enjoys a solid middle grade novel, historical fiction, or just a heartwarming intergenerational tale to snap this one up NOW.