The Lost Girl
By Anne Ursu
February 12, 2019
Walden Pond Press
Source: ARC
Once upon a time, there were two sisters, alike in every way, except for all the ways that they were different.
When you’re an identical twin, your story always starts with someone else. For Iris, that means her story starts with Lark. Iris has always been the grounded, capable, and rational one; Lark has been inventive, dreamy, and brilliant—and from their first moments in the world together, they’ve never left each other’s side. Everyone around them realized early on what the two sisters already knew: they had better outcomes when they were together.
When fifth grade arrives, however, it’s decided that Iris and Lark should be split into different classrooms, and something breaks in them both. Iris is no longer so confident; Lark retreats into herself as she deals with challenges at school. And at the same time, something strange is happening in the city around them: things both great and small going missing without a trace. As Iris begins to understand that anything can be lost in the blink of an eye, she decides it’s up to her to find a way to keep her sister safe.
PRAISE FOR THE LOST GIRL
“The Lost Girl is a jewel of a book—hard, bright, sharp, and precious. It reminds us of the boundless and subversive power of sisterhood and the inherent magic of girls.”—Kelly Barnhill, Newbery-Medal winning author of The Girl Who Drank the Moon
“I raced through The Lost Girl, breathless. And when I was finished, I found myself full of hope. It’s a beautiful, riveting, important book.”—Laurel Snyder, award-winning author of Orphan Island
“When the world makes no sense, I read books by Anne Ursu. When the world makes all the wrong kinds of sense, I read books by Anne Ursu. If you crave a story with the wit, wisdom, and magic to unriddle the world, then you need to read The Lost Girl by Anne Ursu.”—William Alexander, award-winning author of A Festival of Ghosts
“A beautiful, timeless tale of love conquering darkness in the midst of mystery and the angst of change. A must-have for any middle grade collection.” School Library Journal (starred review)
“This suspenseful mystery offers a story of empowerment, showing how one girl with the help of others can triumph.” Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“National Book Award nominee Ursu laces her story with fairy-tale elements and real-life monsters, while taking great care to cast girls in an empowering light and as authors (and heroes) of their own stories.” Booklist (starred review)
Iris and Lark may be identical twins but that doesn’t make them exactly the same. Lark’s dreamy, creativity perfectly balances the rational, grounded nature of Iris. The two just work better together, which is why they feel like their world is ending when their principal and parents decide the two girls should be in separate fifth grade classes. Who will reign in Iris when her temper gets the better of her and who will help Lark find her voice? Add in a strange antique store and owner, some awesome girls, and a bit of magic and Iris and Lark are in for an unforgettable journey.
Anne Ursu returns with another brilliant and captivating middle-grade read! The Lost Girl is an empowering celebration of girls, friendship, and the magic of believing in yourself.
Ursu weaves a spellbinding story through absolutely gorgeous prose and pitch-perfect storytelling. There are so many breathtaking passages in The Lost Girl that pierced my heart and still haven’t left me. Young readers will be delighted by The Lost Girl’s fantastical and whimsical magical elements, from a wall walking cat, a well of magic, and an impossible house. But the real magic is in Ursu’s ability to craft utterly moving and beautiful emotional arcs and her unforgettable characters. Ursu deftly and carefully explores so many topics that readers will find relatable and that will make them feel seen and heard and understood.
The Lost Girl is full of engaging, powerful, and well-developed characters, especially female characters. From Lark and Iris, to a group of awesome girls, a cat named Duchess, and the mysterious Alice. Ursu shines a radiant light on the power of female friendships and bonds, the importance of providing girls with great female role models, and never silencing their voices.
Bursting with incredible storytelling, unforgettable characters, and captivating magic, The Lost Girl is an awesome and inspiring book that will stay with readers for a long time.
MY RATING
5/5 Cupcakes
Anne Ursu is the author of Breadcrumbs, named one of the best books of 2011 by Publishers Weekly and the Chicago Public Library, and The Real Boy, which was longlisted for the National Book Award. She is also a member of the faculty at Hamline University’s MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults. Anne lives in Minneapolis with her family and an ever-growing number of cats. You can visit her online at www.anneursu.com 
Win a copy of The Lost Girl!
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This book will be fun to read and shares important messages for readers. I can't wait to read it and discover a new author for me.
ReplyDeleteI love Anne Ursu, and I especially love her passion for reaching young girls (while making sure that boys don't get left out of the picture). Thanks for your review!
ReplyDeleteNicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction
It sounds like an exciting story!
ReplyDeletesounds good!
ReplyDeletemia2009(at)comcast(dot)net
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ReplyDeleteThis is a must read for me. Thank you for introducing me to this book.
ReplyDeleteI'm really looking forward to reading this one since I loved Breadcrumbs.
ReplyDeleteAnn Ursu's advocacy for girls and women is wonderful!
ReplyDeleteI like the book cover. I think that I will like the characters and their story.
ReplyDelete