Olivia has a secret power – finding things. However, she hasn’t been able to find her brother’s ostrich and she really needs to. She feels it is the key to helping her family.

The Ostrich and Other Lost Things is an accurate portrayal of life for a child who has a sibling with a disability. Hautala did a wonderful job capturing the range of emotions and feelings a sibling feels–from guilt and anger to sympathy and love as well as lack of control. The situations Olivia gets into are deeply felt and complicated. Through trying to handle it all by herself, she learns how much she needs family. This story is heart-rending as you want to be able to help Olivia through the pages.

I loved that this book covered a topic that is not frequently covered. It is applicable to those who find themselves in similar situations as well as those on the outside. The relationships are strong and authentic. So many life lessons are taught in this book through Olivia’s experiences about finding one’s identity, independence, friendships, and what it means to loose something.

Review of an Advanced Uncorrected Galley

This book was sent to Compass Book Ratings for review by Philomel

Content Analysis:

Profanity/Language:  None

Violence/Gore:  Object thrown against wall and shattered; person bangs head against wall; blood from glass stuck in foot; imagined animal thrown against wall; minor hits adult in face; minor hits self in face.

Sex/Nudity:  Hand holding; walking arm in arm; hug.

Mature Subject Matter:

Violence from family members, disabilities.

Alcohol / Drug Use:

None