One Year in Coal Harbor [Hardcover]

Polly Horvath (Author)

Book Description

Release date: September 11, 2012 | Age Range: 9 and up

Readers rejoice—Primrose Squarp is back! The wise and curious heroine of the Newbery Honor Book Everything on a Waffle is facing another adventure-filled year in Coal Harbor. Even though her parents, once lost at sea, are home, there's a whole slew of problems and mysteries to keep Primrose—and eager fans—busy. There's Uncle Jack and Kate Bowzer, who may (or may not) be in love. There's Ked, a foster child who becomes Primrose's friend. And there's the new development on the outskirts of town that threatens the Coal Harbor Primrose knows and treasures. The prolific and brilliant Polly Horvath has delivered a masterful sequel to a beloved novel, sure to please old fans and gain new ones.

"Nobody does middle grade like Horvath," declares The Horn Book.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Gr 5-7-Primrose Squarp, heroine of Everything on a Waffle (Farrar, 2001), is back, perceptive and quirky as ever, as she narrates another year of events in Coal Harbor, British Columbia, picking up right where the last book left off. Her parents, charming Uncle Jack, and the rest of the cast provide ample fodder for Primrose's hilarious narrative asides, even given several serious plot elements. Protestors arrive in town in response to a planned clear-cut of a local mountain, Miss Bowzer and Uncle Jack have ongoing miscommunication that threatens the romantic future Primrose envisions for them, and Bert and Evie take in foster son Ked, who becomes the best friend Primrose has always wanted. Capitalism, the democratic process, and run-of-the-mill events become wickedly funny in Horvath's hands, with the resourceful characters emerging battered but victorious. A recipe at the end of each chapter again adds to the fun, with many reflecting Evie's obsession with mini-marshmallows. Dashes of serious reflection on fear, love, and the unfairness that life doles out are seamlessly interwoven and add depth to the narrative. The resolution of the various plot strands feels a bit choppy, requiring a few leaps of faith that most readers will gladly take. Excellent fun surrounds nuggets of wisdom, making for a great read or read-aloud to be enjoyed on multiple levels, an experience enhanced by having read Everything on a Waffle first.-Faith Brautigam, Gail Borden Public Library District, Elgin, ILα(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Review

A Boston Globe Best Children's Book of 2012

School Library Journal Best of Children's Books 2012

Starred Review, Publishers Weekly, August 20, 2012:
“…Horvath skillfully balances the story’s light and dark moments, leaving readers with an ending both satisfying and honest.”

Starred Review, Kirkus Reviews, August 1, 2012:
“…the author delivers a gothic tragicomedy that is both a worthy sequel and as able as Primrose to stand on its own.”

Starred Review, School Library Jounral, August 1, 2012:
“Excellent fun surrounds nuggets of wisdom, making for a great read or read-aloud to be enjoyed on multiple levels”

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Age Range: 9 and up
  
• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: Schwartz & Wade (September 11, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0375869700
• ISBN-13: 978-0375869709
• Product Dimensions: 6.2 x 0.8 x 8.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #263,659 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars a great companion to Everything on a Waffle November 26, 2012

By H. Frederick

Format:Hardcover

One Year in Coal Harbor drops us back into the oceanside town in British Columbia where you can play hockey at Uncle Jack's house or have Miss Bowzer fix you up something to eat-just know it's going to come on a waffle. It's been a year since Primrose's parents returned, and she to her home with them. She's more rich now than ever with her Uncle Jack staying on in town, as well as Bert and Evie, her temporary foster parents who had moved to Coal Harbor all sticking by her. She visits all of them regularly, along with keeping up her regular sessions at The Girl in the Red Swing learning to cook all variety of dishes with Miss Bowzer.

I observed in the last novel that Primrose Squarp is surprisingly resilient and full of faith, but also lacking in companions her own age. This is rectified in One Year in Coal Harbor when Bert and Evie take on a new foster child, Ked, who Primrose quickly comes to think of as her best friend (even though she'd never tell him that). Primrose recognizes in Ked the loneliness and thin places she herself was in when her parents were missing and instinctively finds he is someone she can relate to and wants to protect, despite his reluctance to reveal anything about his own past.

As in its predecessor, the problems in One Year in Coal Harbor are very real and bigger than the little girl telling the story. However, because of that little girl the story feels cozy and personal. Primrose is able to gauge issues the way we adults let slip from our perspectives at times. Her care for Ked, her concern for Uncle Jack and Kate Bowzer who she is certain must get married, and observations of a town protesting the logging of a mountain in their backyard are all reflected through Primrose's insightful thoughts, and of course, we are graced with more recipes.

One Year in Coal Harbor is a wonderful story about not letting our pasts dictate who we will be, and also the reality that some things just are. Primrose realizes somewhere along the road that the majority of things in life we cannot fix or ruin, but we can still change them. She tries her hardest to change those things she sees in need, but also finds out that you can't really control other people's lives if they want certain things. I was so happy to see Primrose gain a friend at last, and it was wonderful to see her stick her neck out for someone who was currently going through something so akin to what she'd known.

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent May 17, 2013

By crown

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

I enjoyed 'Everything on a Waffle' so much, I was delighted to see a sequel. Unlike many sequels, this book maintains the original charm. I sensed that Primrose grew since the prior novel and seems more skeptical of the ways of life than before, when her hope was undiluted. However, this seems to be a logical part of growing up, which includes realizing absent justice... and the occasional miracle.

5.0 out of 5 stars Marvelously written! December 5, 2012

By rmh

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

This will always be one of my favorite treats! I appreciate so much the development of the main character, her believability, and desire for goodness and fairness in the world. The word choices are wonderful, and I highly recommend this book!