Matylda, Bright & Tender

Gr 4–6—Sussy and Guy are as close as two friends can be. They share everything, even their pet leopard gecko, Matylda, who lives at Sussy's house but is more comfortable with Guy. The tale takes an early tragic turn when Guy is killed in an accident while trying to save Sussy from being attacked by a dog. Sussy is devastated. To deal with the loss of her best friend, she turns her attention to Matylda, who she believes is suffering similarly. As Sussy tries to heal from the emotional desolation, a new facet of her personality takes shape. "The stealing girl" convinces Sussy to compulsively take things for Matylda from the pet store. Sussy's self-destructive focus on Matylda ultimately results in an outburst that injures her, revealing the depth of the emotional conflict, which drives the remainder of the story. Both Sussy and Guy are creative, intelligent characters, and this novel is a good fit for sensitive middle grade readers. With Guy's death occurring in the first quarter of the book, the bulk of the plot centers on Sussy's experience processing grief and living with loss rather than on Guy's death. The narrative is told from Sussy's point of view, and it is a treat to experience the world from her poetic and imaginative perspective. McGhee's depictions of grief and loss are authentic, as are the responses of Sussy's parents, who are unsure of how to comfort their daughter. The emergence of the "stealing girl," who motivates Sussy's uncharacteristic actions, lends itself to thought-provoking discussions, making this a good read-aloud or book club selection.