Echo Mountain by Lauren Wolk

Summary from Goodreads:

A young heroine in Depression-era Maine is navigating the rocky terrain of her new life on Echo Mountain.

After the financial crash, Ellie and her family have lost nearly everything--including their home in town. They have started over, carving out a new life in the unforgiving terrain of Echo Mountain. Though her sister Esther, especially, resents everything about the mountain, Ellie has found more freedom, a new strength, and a love of the natural world that now surrounds them. But there is little joy, even for Ellie, as they all struggle with the sorrow and aftermath of an accident that left her father in a coma. An accident for which Ellie has accepted the unearned weight of blame.

Urgent for a cure to bring her father back, Ellie is determined to try anything. Following her heart, and the lead of a scruffy mutt, Ellie will make her way to the top of the mountain, in search of the healing secrets of a woman known only as "the hag." But the mountain still has many untold stories left to reveal to Ellie, as she finds her way forward among a complex constellation of strong women spanning generations.

Review:

Lauren Wolk is a master. She is joining the ranks now with Lois Lowry, Judy Blume, and Kate DiCamillo as one of the best Children’s writers. Everything she writes is pure magic. To say I devoured this book is an understatement. I read it in one day. I knew I was going to enjoy it. I loved Wolk’s other books. This one takes place on a mountain, and there’s bees and a dog on the cover? How was I not going to enjoy it?

I have to admit I was a little hesitant to start a book that took place during the Great Depression during a time when our country seems to be entering into another Depression…However, I’m glad I did not delay my reading of this. It was not too hard to read. It touched on everything it needed to in regards to economic hardship in just the right amount. It was always there, in the background. Nothing was easy for this family. Everyone was sacrificing.

Ellie has got to be one of the toughest, bravest main characters I’ve read in a long time. She’s the new Katniss Everdeen. Seriously, what she takes on and does for her siblings, is beyond anything I have read before. Her love brought real tears to my eyes. Then bring in the beautiful mountain setting and this total embracing of nature. There’s fishing, hunting, honey gathering, wild animal attacks, climbing, and almost constant danger. Yet, Ellie and her “friends” love it and know it so well.

The characters in this book are just real. Plain and simple. I feel like I know them. They are all flawed. No one is perfect, even Ellie. This just makes me love them that much more. The mother is so hard on Ellie and I saw how divided she was from her older sister and mother. And I wanted to hate them, but I couldn’t. I felt so sorry for what they had to give up. I saw how much they were trying too.

This book reads like Little Women mixed with Anne of Green Gables mixed with Wolf Hollow. But, it’s also its complete own story. I’ve never read this unique story before. It’s just reminiscent of so many great children’s stories before it. I can see this one winning awards and being talked about for years to come. I give this one a 10/10.