9780061430954

In an old stone tower in the Swiss Alps, life has been the same for one angel has for as long as it can remember. But one day peoples move into the Angel's casa. And the girl, Zola, can see the angel and begins to tell her to help people in the village. But the Angel doesn't like people telling her what to do. And how does Zola know so much about what an angel should do when the angel doesn't really know herself. This book is full of crazy characters like Signora Divino who lives next door and is always sneaking her snakes into their yard (they keep following her back home!). And her dog who barks arf, arf, arf, arf day and night until even the angel wants to kill it. And there's Signor Rubini who collects drawers full of blue socks because when he was a child he always had cold feet. And the bossy Zolo, the girl who moves into the Angel's casa. She wears at least 3 outfits at once even though it is summer. But the best is the angel who drops pinecones on the heads of people she doesn't like and has the craziest vocabulary--but deep down wants most of all to be a "finished" angel. I just loved every word of this hilarious book. I highly recommend it for both kids and adults.

I absolutely loved this book! Sharon Creech continues to amaze. I read it in one sitting. I think everyone will be captivated by The Unfinished Angel.

You know those little sayings that your mother said to you your entire childhood? The one I am often stuck with is, "If you can't say something nice, then don't say anything at all". Now I know my mother did not "invent" this saying and it is one that most children have drilled into their heads from a young age, but in regards to my blogging life, it is one that comes up again and again. I have a really hard time reviewing books that I've read, but don't have anything very nice to say. It is as if the author is my personal friend and I'm telling them their baby is ugly. It just doesn't feel right! Here are some examples of things I often think, but find almost impossible to put down in published word: Don't buy it, check it out from the library. Don't bother reading it-you'll be disappointed. Someone's editor was not doing a good job. Wow! Good thing they've won the Newbery in the past or they wouldn't have gotten past the interns. I will share two recent examples at the risk of bringing the authors' wrath upon my head. Gary Paulsen's Mudshark and Sharon Creech's Unfinished Angel. I have devoured everything written by both these authors. Any time I see that they have a new book being released, it is like my birthday and Christmas rolled up into one. I'm that excited! Plunking down the cost the hardcover book is not an issue when it comes to these authors. Delayed gratification and books is not my strong suit. Creech's Unfinished Angel is a nice story. Nice is one of those words teachers use on report cards when they don't want to sound too negative. It doesn't convey much meaning. I LOVE Sharon Creech. I've heard her present multiple times (although I was a little disappointed at last year's NCTE's talk), Walk Two Moons is one my all-time favorite books that I read over and over, Granny Torrelli Makes Soup is the best read aloud for middle grade students and I don't think it can get any better that Love That Dog. With that said, I was a little disappointed in Unfinished Angel. It's not a bad story, but it is as if the great Italian-accented English from Granny Torrelli and the boarding school/overseas from Bloomability is combined into a not totally tied together story. I think you could do some fun things with it as a read-aloud, but it falls into the "Check it out from the library" category for me.

I found The Unfinished Angel (uncorrected proof) in the trash bin of the newsroom where I work, along with other children's book proofs. I looked through the others and picked this one to read on a flight. I had never heard of Sharon Creech before. Three pages into Unfinished Angel, I turned to my wife and said, 'This is incredibly good.' I raced through the book. What a joyful experience, very funny, very touching. Maybe it is because my Italian grandmom, who couldn't read or write, talked just like this angel. Maybe it is because I am not at all religious but really need and want an angel. Or maybe it is because I don't have kids and got to share some in this wonderful book. The back cover, I think, said it was for children 7 to 12 - something like that. Ha! It is for anyone, any age. The humor and plays on words on are so imaginative. When I finished the book, I turned to my wife, a tear on my face, and said: 'It was poetry.' So I thank my angel for finding The Unfinished Angel in a trash bin. I have read several other Sharon Creech books since, and I am a huge fan -- Love that Dog, Hate that Cat, Two Moons. 'Unfinished Angel' is still my favorite. It lacks the deeper emotion of those other books, but it radiates joy. It's a treasure.