I thought I wasn’t going to like Kodi: A Place to Call Home by Jared Cullum at first. When I started reading I felt off. Like it was starting in the middle of things. And that was because it is book two and I’ve never read book one. So, yes, I am starting in the middle of the story. This explained a few things about why I was feeling how I was feeling about things. No background to why such things as the main character is selfish and the characters start out flat were happening. Therefore, a strong Yes, I think most of the problems I had would have been foxed by having read book one first. However, by the end (though it was a bit rushed) things worked out for the best and I could get into things.
The main girl, Katya, of the story has found a bear (book one), Kodi, and now they both live in the city. The bear is a big ol’ beefy bear (if the biggest griz you know had Winnie the Pooh’s sweetness, minus the honey), and something is wrong as he won’t eat even his favorites (mooncakes and a certain drink). Of course, the adults realize that the bear is a big hassle (some say this in less than kind or subtle terms). But Katya doesn’t see this. She only sees the one thing in her life that is constant, her friend, Kodi. She is missing the fact her Mema is there, their friend Joshua is there and soon other friends enter the picture. Her attitude obviously comes from having much trauma in her life, but that doesn’t excuse the selfish and rude way she treats others, especially her grandmother.
The ages of at least strong 8 to 12 or young 13 would be fine with it as they will see themselves in things: A “loner” child assuming the “adults” don’t get her. Seeing how she’s always losing things and people always leaving her. And other coming of age/growing up, events. One of the things that I think all people will like are the great illustrations. They have a classical and modern feel, they are not mixed mediums or have different artists doing them, but they don’t always look to be done in the same style. A few seem to represent actual paint on a canvas and others look like traditional graphic novel/on the page illustrations. The book is an experience in all respects to it.
