Book Review by E: "Take Me With You" (Carolyn Marsden)

"Take Me With You" by Carolyn Marsden is a good book, but not super exciting. The story is about two 11-year-old girls, Pina and Susanna, who live in a convent in Italy. In the convent, the nuns take care of the children who were abandoned as babies after the war. Pina and Susanna have always been friends, but now that the war is over, they're trying to find their parents. Susanna's father finds them, but Pina still can't find her parents. The end of the story isn't very final. I don't really like it when that happens. If a good story really has to come to an end, I want it to have a conclusion, whether or not I like that ending.

This book is good for girls ages 8 to 13, but kids who are 11 would appreciate it most because they're the same age. There's nothing really for boys because they wouldn't be able to relate in any way, unless they're 11 and live in a convent. If you're not Christian you probably wouldn't appreciate it, either, because nuns are very Christian. There's nothing particularly scary, but there are some social issues that might be hard for a younger reader to understand. There's some peer pressure, but I don't think there's any bad language or name calling.

I liked it. It was very interesting. But it wouldn't be something I'd read over and over to catch the details I might have missed the first time because it wasn't very detailed. And I know how it's going to end, so I don't feel like I need to read it again.