After reading Counting Thyme by Melanie Conklin, I went on to read their A Perfect Mistake. I had wanted to reverse the reading, as I had seen an online reader copy of A Perfect Mistake ages ago, but lost my link. I then said, “Hello Library of mine. Do you have Melanie Conklin’s books?” One interlibrary loan request for each later, I had the first and the most recently published (with book four, Crushed, out in July 2024) in hand. I will go back and find book three, Evey Missing Place, as soon as I can, as Conklin has a style that, while I am not going OMG I LOVE THEM! They are cozy, satisfying and fun, even with some tough story arcs. (And no, they are not a series, the numbering is just order of publication).
In A Perfect Mistake we follow a boy with ADHD. Newly diagnosed, he realizes how to adapt to school, his family, even the world as a whole. This would be hard enough by itself, except for the fact he is also 11-years-old and taller than some of his teachers at school. Then there is the night he and his two buddies decide to sneak out of one of their houses, meet up with an older brother of one, and have some fun. Only things do not end up as hoped and one of the boys ends up in the hospital in an induced coma.
There are other things going on as well (the family is having money issues, his uncle Cal is back in town, the neighbors have A LOT of barking dogs), that all come together to make our character, Max, realize that no matter how old you are, if you are a parent, kids, big sister, or even a funcle, you will make mistakes as that is what it means to be human. Things can sometimes be a bit intense (there is the mystery of who is telling the truth about how Will was injured) but overall, it is well written and has good moments. The adult reader in me had a few bumps (sometimes I felt that Max was using his ADHD as a crutch for all the mistakes and problems) but the aged 10 and up crowd (and me) will/would have enjoyed thoroughly. After reading When You Have to Wait I have four of the five titles by Conklin. When You Have to Wait is a picture book that can start your young reader off on their Conklin reading journey. While this theme is more simple, just the issues about waiting, there is also the joys of having to wait all done with sweet illustrations by Leah Hong. This is a fun book for your younger child who might have some issues with being patient. I read this via an online reader copy, but it is currently available.
