
Reach for this book when your child is struggling to make sense of a deep loss and seems to have lost their sense of magic or wonder in the world. After the death of his baby sister, eleven year old Wunderkind (Wunder) Ellis has stopped believing in the 'miracles' he used to collect, but a mysterious encounter with a woman living in a cemetery forces him to look closer at the world around him. It is a deeply moving story that tackles the heavy reality of grief with a gentle, lyrical touch. While the subject matter is profound, the growing friendship between Wunder and his classmates provides a sense of hope and lightness. It is a perfect choice for middle grade readers who are ready to explore complex emotions through a lens of mystery and community healing.
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Sign in to write a reviewThe book deals directly with the death of an infant (SIDS). The approach is realistic and emotionally honest, showing the different ways parents and children grieve. While the title and themes touch on the 'miraculous,' the resolution is largely secular and grounded in human connection, though it leaves room for spiritual wonder.
A thoughtful 10 or 11 year old who has experienced a loss or is going through a 'cynical' phase where the world feels unfair or bleak. It's for the child who likes mysteries but has a big, sensitive heart.
Parents should be aware that the depiction of the parents' grief is quite raw, particularly the mother's depression. Read cold, but be ready to discuss infant loss. A parent might see their child withdrawing, becoming unusually pessimistic, or lashing out at things they used to love (like hobbies or beliefs) following a family tragedy.
Younger readers (8-9) will focus on the mystery of the 'witch' in the cemetery and the graveyard adventures. Older readers (11-12) will deeply resonate with Wunder's internal struggle with faith and his changing relationship with his grieving parents.
Unlike many 'grief books' that stay strictly in the domestic sphere, this uses a high-concept mystery and 'magical' atmosphere to explore the clinical stages of mourning.
Wunder Ellis is a boy who keeps a 'Miracle Journal,' recording every extraordinary thing he witnesses. However, when his newborn sister dies, his faith in the extraordinary vanishes, and he bakes his journal in the oven. The story follows Wunder as he meets Faye, a mysterious woman living in a cemetery, and teams up with two classmates to solve the mystery of her past. Through these connections, he begins to process his grief and redefine what a miracle actually looks like.
This overview was generated by AI based on the book's content and reviews, and may not capture every nuance.