Reviewer: Sharon Brunner
Midwest goodbyes can be heartfelt and drawn-out experiences for a young girl who longed for her bed in Nikki Mitchell’s “Ellie and the Midwest Goodbye” book. Her parents had many family members and friends who cared about them and had many stories to share. Dressed for winter made waiting a chore. Thoughts of Midwest goodbyes danced around Ellie’s head.
The predominant theme was the importance of family. Mitchell is an Upper Peninsula of Michigan (U.P.) native who enjoys skunking her family in cribbage and a victim of Midwest goodbyes. You are not a bonified Yooper (a U.P. native) until you master the game of cribbage. Mitchell mentioned cousins, uncles, grandfather and Nan (who may have been a grandmother) and friends of the family.
I will combine how this book relates to me personally with what I like about it. I have a very large family and goodbyes could be lengthy. Often we did not want our time together to end. I have lived in the U.P. my entire life. The book brought about very happy memories regarding my family. I liked how Ellie’s family cared about her, but she was hugged out.
The book that came to mind when I read it was “The Goodbye Book” by Todd Parr. According to the author, it’s hard to say goodbye to our friends and loved ones. The book was about two fish saying goodbye to each other. The movie that came to mind is a classic: “The Wizard of Oz.” Most of the movie was about a girl named Dorothy who left her family and ended up in a strange land full of adventure and she longed for her family. Some of the last lines were “There’s no place like home” said by Dorothy as she clicked her red shoes together. She ended up back with her family.
I recommend this book for its humorous moments, its emphasis on family, its demonstration of a child’s frustration, and its heartwarming Midwest goodbye rituals. Everyone waves and tells them to watch out for the deer, which can be a U.P. hazard. There was always one last hug or story.
Title: Ellie and the Midwest Goodbye
Author: Nikki Mitchell
