Shelly's Book Blog

Missing May, by Cynthia Rylant, won the Newbery Medal in 1993. This is a pretty serious and sad story, one that I think will appeal only to a small audience of children who have recently experienced the death of a loved one.
The story is told by a 12-year-old girl named Summer whose aunt recently died. Summer had been living with her aunt and uncle for a few years and had become very close to both of them. Her uncle, Ob, suffers greatly because of the loss of his beloved wife.

Through Summer's narrative, readers hear of the happy life she had with her aunt and uncle, despite their poverty. Aunt May was clearly an exceptional person -- warm, loving, and patient. With the unexpected help of Cletus Underwood, a rather odd boy who goes to Summer's school, Summer and her uncle learn how to grieve and finally accept May's death. The story is beautifully written and poignant, but Oh so sad!