A Blossom Promise by Betsy Byars

A Blossom Promise by Betsy Byars. Holiday House, 2008. 176p. (978082341473) Series: Blossom Family, #4

I needed to read a book by an author whose name started with the letter B. And it had to be over 150 pages. And I had to be able to get and read it tonight. This book fit the bill. Unfortunately it was number four in a series so the jumping back and forth between characters was a bit confusing. Still engaging though.

Goodreads Summary:

The Blossom spirit endures as the family confronts the frailty of human life in Newbery Award-winning author Betsy Byars's fourth Blossom Family book. It's a time of ups and downs for the Blossoms. Maggie is thrilled to be the youngest member of the rodeo circuit...until she witnesses Mom kissing a handsome bull rider. Back at home, the family has weathered the worst flood in the state's history. Now Vern and his friend Michael can't wait to test their homemade raft down at Snake Creek, but they don't count on the creek's raging current. Hearing their screams, Pap lassos his old rodeo rope and runs to the rescue when suddenly a heart attack strikes. As Pap clings to life, the Blossoms must rely on the strength of their family and pull together as never before.

My Review:

Start with book one, things would make a lot more sense. The characters were all entertaining and seemed spot on for their ages. I could easily picture the kids doing and thinking exactly what the author had them doing and thinking.

The story did start a little slow and jumped from Junior to Vern to Maggie and then back again so it was a bit confusing. But I got used to it and the method works to tell what the three kids are up to on a fateful day in the Blossom family history.

Junior witnessed Pap’s heart attack and at first thinks Pap died before his very eyes. The author does a great job soothing Junior’s fears about the moment a person dies and at the same time teaches kids it isn’t terrible and also is a lesson to parents that they should talk to their kids about what happens and what is expected from the child when a grandparent is nearing death.

I’m going to look up book one, The Not-Just-Anybody Family, and if it’s anything like this one, I think it would make a good read aloud. The end of this edition has a reader’s guide, an interview with the author and several photos of her life.

4 stars as a children's book

Go read it! Find it at a library near you; Buy it from Amazon ($5.38 / $6.26); Buy it from Barnes& Noble ($6.49 / $6.95); Buy it from an Indie Bookstore near you

(Ebook / paperback prices good as of July 7, 2014; always double check for yourself)

Disclosure: I borrowed this as an ebook from the library. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission.

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