By the time you realize how much something mattered, time has passed; by the time it stops hurting enough that you can tell about it, first to yourself, and finally to someone else, more time has passed; then, when you sit down to begin the telling, you have to begin this way: "It was a long time ago.”

Lois Lowry certainly knows how to weave a believable fictional story. Set during WWII, a young girl named Elizabeth unwillingly goes to live in her grandfather's house, along with her sister and mother. Elizabeth's father is sent off to serve in the war during this time, though that is not the focus of the book.

As time passes, Elizabeth becomes less fearful and grows to love Autumn Street as she befriends a young boy and finds a second mother in a woman she calls Tattie. Much of the story is devoted to Elizabeth's budding friendship with Charles and the accompanying issue of racial prejudice and bigotry, which the six year old isn't quite able to grasp. Elizabeth often comes across as opinionated and defiant, but underneath it all she is sometimes just fearful or trying to maintain the appearance of keeping up with her older sister. There are periods of sadness in this story, along with births, deaths, good children, evil children, and the ongoing worries related to war. Much of the rest of the story is sweet and poignant though. According to the author's notes at the end of the book, pieces of this story were semi-autobiographical.

I suspect the content of this story might disturb sensitive children in the younger age range, so in some ways it seems more appropriate for a young adult audience. ( )

I’m not sure this is a children’s book. I know I would never have understood “Charles’s interstitial smile” in Lowry’s description of his missing front teeth. I was interested to read the author’s comments in the back describing what of the story was true from her life. And I completely understood her feelings about doing a job that was too hard for her while trying to keep up with her older sister. But other places found it hard to believe her ignorance. Just different journeys. I’m sure I had my own glaring gaps in insight. A very interesting story, but hard to discern the audience. I would recommend it to my friends who enjoy children’s books. ( )

I remember this being a surprisingly sad book, which I read in third or fourth grade.

When reading this lovely, poignant tale, I was reminded of why Lois Lowry is one of my favorite authors. She writes with such magical images, and tugs at the heart without punching feelings. She is a soft writer who paints lovely pictures with poignancy and clarity. There is a large element of magic realism in her character development.

Told from the perspective of precocious six year old Elizabeth who is a child of strong feelings and opinions. We learn that her father is sent off to WWII and she, her mother and her sister move to live on Autumn Street with her maternal grandparents. While living in Pennsylvania, she develops a very special relationship with Tatie, the family cook, and with Tatie's grandson Charles.

Elizabeth and Charles bond as childhood friends, filling a special need in each other.
Curious, Elizabeth does not understand why Charles and Tatie have to enter and leave the house through the back door. While Elizabeth vows she will marry Charles one day, slowly she learns the terrible truth of racism and bigotry.

The relationship with Charles' grandmother is incredibly beautiful. Sadly, on a cold winter day when Elizabeth and Charles use her new sled and venture into the woods at the end of Autumn Street, Elizabeth's protected life is deeply, forever changed.

Highly recommended!!!

Found discarded in a "free books" bin, this was sweet serendipity, as it's by far the best book I've read this year. Lowry made me fall in love with Elizabeth immediately. I adored her innocence and her developing insight, and Lowry's imagery delighted me and sometimes broke my heart. For example, after describing 3 spinsters, one being a woman who was once engaged but never married, she wonders if the other two "were jealous of Philippa and her diamond ring that still, after so many years, sparkled the way wet spiderwebs did in sunshine." Wow. I pondered how apt that comparison is for a while. Definitely made me cry, made me think, and along with Liz, I discovered truths about human nature that I hadn't taken the time to see before. The novel felt To Kill A Mockingbirdesque, and even though it was grief-inducing (and I hadn't expected it), this novel touched me the way I yearn for in a book. However, I recommend it only to older teens and adults; I think much of it would be lost on a younger audience. ( )