Though Lowry is, I believe, mostly famous for her dystopian series, The Giver, I think readers should also give the middle grade Anastasia Krupnik a read to see the breadth of Lowry’s writing skills. Her ability to weave into existence Anastasia, an irreverent, irrepressible and entirely charming ten year old is impressive. Anastasia is unintentionally witty and, to older readers, extremely funny as she charges full steam through life falling in love, falling out of love and making decisions (bad and good). Her proclamations and reactions to her parents have a ring of realism to them and she’s just incredibly funny. Her observations will have more meaning to older readers who are experienced enough to understand her thoughts and the sly allusions.Anastasia Krupnik is one of those books that will be enjoyed by both older readers and the younger ones. The younger ones will empathize and take everything at face value while the older ones will be able to recognize, as I said previously, the duality in Anastasia’s actions. For example, Anastasia decides to leave her house when she finds out she is getting a baby brother, she packs her clothes etc and younger kids will be on board the moving out train but older readers will smirk and wait for the realization that she has no other place to go to sink in.Anyway, the book is short and funny. I recommend it. Read it to yourself or to a sibling!
