ALA Booklist (Fri Jan 01 00:00:00 CST 2016)

Since the death of his mother, Charlie Price has been trying to keep his family together. But with his dad checked out and his little sister, Imogen, in need of so many things he can't seem to give her, the task feels impossible. So when Charlie discovers a world where their mom is alive and ready to make her famous spaghetti and tell them stories, he is overjoyed. But soon it becomes clear there really is no good way to go back to the past. Maschari's debut novel is a beautifully written meditation on grief that is easily digestible for a younger audience, and she never talks down to them. The eeriness of the other world she describes is reminiscent of Neil Gaiman's Coraline (2002). Maschari has created a cast of compelling characters, with only the father falling a little flat. This is a powerful story about the pull of the past and the even more powerful promise of the future.

Horn Book (Fri Jan 01 00:00:00 CST 2016)

After their mother's death, Charlie and Imogen find a hatch leading to a place where they can--apparently--spend time with her, an arrangement that sounds appealing but holds dangers related to a grieving friend's recent disappearance. This adventure is part grief allegory, part less-creepy Coraline.

School Library Journal Starred Review (Fri Jan 01 00:00:00 CST 2016)

Gr 4-6 Charlie Price loves math. It's something he can count on, especially when he desperately needs to be able to count on something. Charlie's mother died, and his best friend disappeared the same year. Just as he's starting to put his life back together, the impossible happens. His sister Imogen finds a mysterious door under her bed and discovers a parallel world where their mother is alive. Initially Charlie is as elated as his sister about the opportunity to reconnect with his mother, but his logical mind quickly deduces that something is amiss in the parallel world. Each experience that he and Imogen have with their mother erases their memories of doing the same thing with her when she was alive. Realizing that the parallel mother is only a creature imitating her and feeding on memories, Charlie solicits the help of a friend to rescue Imogen before all of her memories are stolen. This book straddles multiple genres; the world that Charlie and his grieving family inhabit is heartbreakingly realistic, full of pain and anger as the family tries to reconstruct their lives. The parallel world is reminiscent of the "other" world in Neil Gaiman's Coraline , initially enticing and refreshingly absent of real-world problems but ultimately dangerous. Because Charlie can move between the two worlds, readers spend equal time in them, and it broadens the appeal of the book. Maschari's writing, particularly in the realistic sections, will make readers pause. Beautifully crafted sentences read almost as if they were poetry. Maschari also excels at character development; Charlie's anger, pain, and love make him an entirely believable character, and the evolution of the "mother" in the parallel world is frightening. Tough issues are tackled, and sensitive readers may want to read and process the book with a grown-up. Happily, adults will enjoy the story as much as middle graders. VERDICT Fans of both fantasy and realistic fiction will appreciate this painful but ultimately triumphant, multilayered novel. Juliet Morefield, Multnomah County Library, OR