My favorite book of all time. I first read it as an elementary school student and have reread it multiple times. A young girl who wants to be a writer, the loss of someone beloved, feeling like an outsider -- so much of this resonates with me personally. The illustrations are incredible. ( )

Haunting, mesmerizing, intense, all those things. Heavy in symbolism and lovely language. I, personally, enjoyed it the way I would have when I was 9 or 10, but also I did get more out of it for being an experienced reader. For example, the colors on the cover as illustrated by Hyman are important. Of course, Hyman being Hyman, all pix are enchanting.

Interesting setting, Berkeley and SF in the days when it was still affordable to live there even if poor and to casually hike to the hills etc. Interesting characters, writers & pianists & historians & gardeners... about whom we're told very little, but can deduce much.

I like the details, such as Julia's journal being titled, not 'my notebook' or something bland, or left untitled, or even called 'the book of strange things' but actually Book of Strangenesses." I like this quote: "[A] poem is... a feeling about some special time or place or happening, pressed into as few lines as it will go."

Apparently this was first in a series... I've no idea what sequels could do, as this is perfect unto itself. I mean, the ending leaves things open, but only in the sense that life always goes on. I'm satisfied now.

I still have trouble matching my fond memories of the Mushroom Planet books with this, though - hard to believe it's the same author... I'll reread those if I can find them, for sure.


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The book that caused me to fall in love with Trina Schart Hyman's drawings. Great story, too; referencing the San Francisco Bay Area and people who love reading and writing books. Also the cat drawings are memorable to me, I once wrote a short cat-care manual for a Boy I Liked, and I illegally photocopied some of TSH's cat drawings from this book for the decoration.