The book "Six of Us Now" tells the story of a family—two parents and three children—living in a small house that their father calls a "shoebox."
A fourth child is on the way. One day the children learn that their mother, Lene, has toxoplasmosis, an illness that could harm the baby she's carrying. The baby will be named Clara.
Clara is born healthy, with one difference: she can see out of only one eye.
Peter Hàrtling has written this story with real skill. He doesn't make it too heavy, but he doesn't treat it as a joke either. He finds the middle ground, and that's exactly right.
This story reminds me a lot of my own family—the fights between siblings, Dad always working outside the house, playing, making messes.
I think it's good that children are included in difficult situations like this one. After Clara is born, the doctor wants to talk with the parents about what they should expect from her and what they shouldn't. Lene immediately asks if she can bring her other children along. That showed me how much they matter to her, and it really moved me.
The children welcomed Clara even though she was blind in one eye. That's how we should all be.
I'd recommend this book to every kid my age.
Benedetta, age 9