I really enjoyed this one! Our main character is Halle who is dealing with emotional distress in addition to medical - I just wanted to hug her! I'm surprised how much I loved this one despite not being a huge historical fiction fan. I was expecting it to be aimed more toward older middle/high school grades, but I think this would appeal more toward older elementary/lower middle grades. Regardless of the age, this touches on some great themes that all ages can appreciate and relate to. Thanks so much for the ARC!

My thanks for the ARC goes to NetGalley and Holiday House, Peachtree. I'm voluntarily leaving a review.

Genre: Historical Fiction
Age: Middle grade (7-12 years old)
Themes: Family love, Friendship, Isolation, Hope

What an amazing book!

I love how we are immersed in this world. The author made it relatable by referring to an icon that children know today (Mickey Mouse), which I thought was a brilliant move.

I love how we are immersed in this world. Halle is in emotional turmoil in addition to being physically sick. I wanted to wrap her up in my arms and tell her that she was loved and important. The setting shows us a bygone time of hospitals where people lived until they were better. But the universal themes of friendship and love come through brilliantly.

This is a fully satisfying read!
Kids in elementary school who love historical fiction or "sad books" are going to eat this one up! It's so full of hope and growth—I can see a classroom reading this book to supplement their social studies.

I highly recommend it!

Happy reading!

Light and air is a beautifully written historical novel. It focuses on the experiences of Halle and how she experiences the world during the time of TB. With echoes of the covid epidemic, it really looks at how we treat each other during times of fear. A delightfully hearfelt book.

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read the ARC for this book. A great example of historical fiction where children (and adults) can learn more about the time when there wasn't much known about TB. Halle is a resilient and courageous character who copes with difficulties with the help of some great friends.

I absolutely loved this historical fiction story set in 1935. Tuberculosis is ravaging the country, spreading from person to person similar to 2020's COVID pandemic. When Halle and her mom both come down with tuberculosis, they are moved to J.N. Adam Tuberculosis hospital far from home in the woods of upstate New York. Halle quickly learns to love her new home where she is free from her detached, cold father and classmates that pushed her away. She discovers new friendship that she will learn to lean on as her mom's health declines and her father's visits become less and less. Will Halle find the strength she needs to help both her mom and dad and reunite her family? I found this story a fascinating look into the past and how something as serious as tuberculosis was treated. I can't wait to share this book with my fifth graders. Thank you to NetGalley for this advanced digital copy.

In this book we follow 11 year old halle, her friend and family at a tuberculosis sanitarium . It is a book where historical fiction and real life meets up. It pulled on my heartstrings. I highly recommend this book
Thank you to netgalley for letting me read this e arc in exchange for an honest opinion

I am not sure what I was expecting when I picked up this book. As a lover of historical fiction I was looking for something I had not read about before. Light and Air exceeded every expectation I didn’t know I had. I was captivated by Halle and her journey and enjoyed getting to know the people she loved through her eyes. This was a wonderful story that taught me about time and place in history I did not know previously. As a Buffalonian I will be taking a trip to J.N. Adam.

A fascinating read for me as an adult! With characters that readers can easily identify with, this historical novel is well-researched and will give today's kids a taste of life in the not so distant past. Wendell has struck a good balance between a realistic story and one that has a satisfying ending. It would be an excellent choice for a classroom to read and discuss or for a book group of parents and children. It's thought provoking and will leave the reader enthusiastic to know more about how sick children managed in earlier days.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advance copy of this book. I'd recommend it to just about anyone!

This is a short and thought-provoking historical novel for middle grade readers which brings to mind echoes of classic writers of children's stories from the past like, Frances Hodgeson Burnett and Louisa May Alcott.

It is 1935, and with a tuberculosis epidemic underway, Halle's mother is abruptly removed to a sanatorium after she falls ill. Left adrift, with only her distant father for company - and utterly miserable at school - the ten-year-old is so desperate to see her mother again that she runs away.

In the process of trying to get to her mother at the tuberculosis hospital, Halle (aka Hallelujah) falls sick herself and ends up at the same health facility. There, in an era where modern medicine still has many limitations, she is treated with light, air and the healing powers of honey in a surprisingly inclusive and accepting environment.

So, despite the fact that she is effectively incarcerated at the hospital, Halle makes some important personal discoveries and is in many ways better off than she was at home with her father.

This is a touching story about the power of the love that can exist between a parent and a child, the joy of found family, and the capacity to appreciate the small but precious pleasures of life in the most unexpected circumstances. Highly recommended.

A beautiful historical middle-grade fiction set in the American 1930s and focused on tuberculosis.

The mother gets sick and is admitted to a hospital (one that is not segregated and is kind) and her family is having a hard time with her slow recovery.

The young Halle has always remembered her mother's words and wants to do something, to act, to face fear in the face with bravery and faith, while her father sinks in anger and depression. She tries to walk all the way to the hospital to see her mother but falls ill and she too is committed to the hospital. Still, she never quits trying to see or help her mother.

I love that Halle's favorite book is Anne of Avonlea and other classics like Black Beauty are mentioned. This book too is written in a cozy classic way. A story that is told in the third person but the voice is very close to Halle's thoughts and emotions.
It is an emotional read for those who relate to having a loved one sick but not being able to do much for them.

We also notice the author did great research and it gives an insight into what was like to have the disease or be admitted to a good sanitorium. Very educational also brings us back to the recent pandemic and makes a great discussion to compare then with now.

The cover artwork is stunning.

Thank you Netgalley and Publisher for this e-ARC.

I was allowed to read this book early via NetGalley. This book is perfect for fans of Anne of Green Gables. It has a precocious girl by the name of Hallelujah (Halle for short) who has to deal with her mother’s diagnosis of tuberculosis as well as her own diagnosis of latent tuberculosis and all that the diagnosis brings. It’s a story of friendship, loss, and hope that also incorporates adventure. It’s a great way to introduce history into a child’s repertoire as well. It’s a fantastic jumping off point for research. I highly recommend this book.

LIGHT AND AIR is a story you don’t want to miss out on. Halle, short for Hallelujah, finds her world changing as she and her mom get sick. They are admitted to the J.N. Adam Tuberculosis Sanatorium, a historical place located in Perrysburg, NY.

The author doesn’t shy away from the hardships of tuberculosis while also drizzling honey—like hope throughout the story.

This book is good for any age. However, there are some topics that will especially intrigue students, teachers and librarians: quarantine, illness, diversity, family challenges, friendships, historical places, grief, and perseverance. The themes in this book are universal while sharing an intriguing glimpse of the past.

The author chooses her words well. The descriptions are vivid and the attention to detail is precise. Yet the best part for me were the characters. I appreciated the personalities, the people they reminded me of, and the way they impact Halle (for the good and the bad).

This story and its cheerful cover will be a fantastic addition to any library, classroom or bookshelf at home

This was a magnificent read!

I think it does a good job of reminding people that things like Covid-19's Lockdown in 2020 was not too unfamiliar a challenge for society.

Taking place during the Great Depression and the tail end of the scary days for of TB as a large (though like Covid we do still live with this disease today), the story is told from the perspective of Halle. Halle is a young girl whose mother is sent away to a TB sanitorium that Halle herself ends up in eventually.

The story is a unique look on how chronic illness can have an effect on a whole family and how the trauma and stress of it can impact each individual on a different level and have them reacting in different ways.

A beautiful read.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this title. All opinions are my own.

This is a book that will touch the heart. No matter your age you need this story.

Ten-year-old Hallelujah Newton doesn’t know what to do when Mama has tuberculosis. Papa wastes no time in packing Mama off to the nearby sanatorium because in 1935, the only known treatment for tuberculosis is rest, sunlight, and fresh air. Halle is not allowed to hug Mama goodbye or even visit. Worse, without Mama, there is no buffer between Halle and her distant, angry father; no one to soothe Halle’s feelings when the kids at school shun her. In search of comfort, Halle runs off to visit her mama and falls ill along the way with serious pneumonia, joining her mother as a patient at the children’s wing of the sanitorium. At the inclusive J N Adam Tuberculosis Hospital, Halle finds hope, family, and the healing power of honey.

Full of inclusion and found family, this book will remind you what it's like to find comfort and home.

Light and Air by Mindy Nichols Wendell is an upcoming middle-grade novel set to release in January. This short historical novel unfolds in the year 1935 in the state of New York. The heart of the story centers around Halle, whose life takes a dramatic turn when both she and her mother are diagnosed with tuberculosis (TB). As a result, they are sent to a hospital, where Halle is placed in the children's ward. There she forms fast and meaningful connections with some courageous children who soon become her friends.

Overall, I found this book slim on the story and the plot. Nevertheless, this brevity might be a positive aspect, as it could make the book more approachable and engaging for younger readers. An additional positive aspect is how the author delves into themes that are not typically addressed in middle-grade fiction. I'm looking forward to seeing what this author creates in the future.