Mavis and Merna

Grade 2-4–A nostalgic trip into the time of general stores stocked with long johns, licorice whips, and fish clocks. Mavis loves everything about Gully's–the bell above the door, the plethora of unique merchandise, the comforting smells. When Joe Gully, the owner, dies and is "laid out" in the main aisle of his store, it is the end of a pleasant interlude of Mavis's childhood. But, with every end comes a beginning as the girl forges a new friendship with Joe's widow, Merna–a bond that spans many years. The store closes after Joe's death, but its doors open again unexpectedly in the story's delightful ending. A children's book that includes fatal heart attacks and coffins is unconventional, but the author handles the subject of death in a matter-of-fact fashion that young readers will find engaging. The watercolor illustrations are a real strong point as Wallace does a commendable job of capturing period details. An old-fashioned flavor permeates this unique story, as viewers wander past the storefront displays, through a "retro" living room, and up and down the aisles of the beloved general store.– Corrina Austin, Locke's Public School, St. Thomas, Ontario, Canada
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

K-Gr. 3. Mavis has always loved Gully's, the big, busy local store in her small 1960s Canadian town, and she dreams of owning the wonderful things she sees there--bicycles, birdbaths, "fish-clocks that marked time with their tails." When Joe Gully dies, Mavis' parents are mean and mocking about his rich "Merry Widow." But Mavis likes Merna Gully, who seems always full of fun, and the two become friends, playing double solitaire and traveling together as Mavis grows up, even as the store remains closed. Thirty years pass before Mrs. Gully reopens the shop, and when she does, she leaves the original prices on everything, so customers can buy "something they had always wanted, but maybe couldn't afford back then." The nostalgia may appeal more to adults than kids, but Wallace's large, realistic watercolors nicely capture the setting, and many children will enjoy the portrayal of spirited, unsentimental friendship across generations. The story of child who reaches beyond her parents is timeless. Hazel Rochman
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved