“When something amazing happens, it’s natural to want to tell somebody, if only to confirm that you’re not losing your mind…And this mystery was definitely stressful…First he needed to conduct some experiments,” (Brosgol 60).
When Oliver’s Great-Aunt Barb whom he never met dies and leaves her apartment to his mom, it feels like a fresh start. After a year of couch-surfing in various relatives homes, Oliver is about to start attending the elite Whittle Academy where students come to school in helicopters and have the latest gadgets. But Oliver is attending because his mom has just gotten a job as a custodian there. Oliver wishes his life could be as easy as his classmates at Whittle, and one day after slipping a wish into a mysterious mail slot in his new apartment it comes true. Oliver wishes for more and more things and life appears great for him, but a wish can only be granted at the detriment to others. But is this enough to stop Oliver from asking for more wishes?
I loved Vera Brosgol’s Anya’s Ghost and was excited to read her middle-grade debut. And there was a lot I enjoyed about Return To Sender. Brosgol talks about a lot of difficult topics that aren’t always shown in middle grade novels: children’s grief, a child forced into being dependent when his parents becomes depressed, homelessness, various forms of parental neglect, and understanding privilege.
Oliver was a great protagonist to follow. I enjoyed his honest emotions like his grief over his dad, his frustration with his lack of privilege amongst his wealthy classmates, and his desire to find stability after an unstable year. I also liked that while Brosgol showed the privilege of the students of Whittle she also made it clear that the students suffer in their own ways, generally in the form of absent or uncaring parents.
While Return To Sender does an excellent job talking about these difficult themes and adding the fantasy aspect of a wish granting mail slot, a lot of the story falls apart in the end. I loved the discussion of wishes and consequence, how there’s no selfless wish, but the book veered a bit too into the Fantasy element and jumped the shark near it’s end. The last chapter wrapped everything up nicely, but the book really lost me right at the end.
Overall though a great middle grade debut. I think Brosgol did a great job of discussing some hard topics for kids and maintaining a bit of home, and as always her illustrations are a joy to look at. I hope she continues in this genre!
Publication: May 6 2025
Publisher: Roaring Book Press
Pages: 320 pages (Hardcover)
Source: Library
Genre: Fiction, Middle Grade, Fantasy
My Rating: ⛤⛤⛤.5
Summary:
After everything they’ve been through, Oliver and his mom finally have a place to call home. But Oliver’s fresh start feels more like a dead-end at his fancy new private school, where kids fly in on helicopters, wear the latest and most expensive sneakers, and go on luxury vacations. Oliver is only there because his mom’s the school custodian.
Oliver wishes his life could be easier. And then one day, after slipping a wish into a mysterious mail slot, it suddenly comes true. Pizza for dinner? Yes! The rarest sneakers in the world? Yes! Everything he could ever want, without spending a cent? Yes, yes, yes!
Oliver’s dreams are finally within his grasp… but what happens when he discovers that his wishes don’t come for free?
Sarah O'Connor 