Gr 4–7—Leeva's mother says people are for fame; her father says they're for money. But surely there's more, thinks
Leeva, who braves leaving her yard to discover the wonders of the world past the hedge. This Roald Dahl—esque
novel is laugh-out-loud funny and deeply heartfelt.

Leeva's neglectful parents are obsessed with fame and money, and since Leeva doesn't bring them either, she is relegated to being basically a slave in their house. When she sneaks through the hedge and discovers the library next door, her life opens up as she begins to ask the question, "What are people for?"

Written in a style that calls to mind books like Matilda or the Series of Unfortunate Events, this book leans heavily on the absolute misery of Leeva's parents' treatment of her, contrasted with the abundant goodness of everyone else she meets. It felt flat to me, but then again, I'm often not a fan of the "absurdism for children" genre. I can't see myself recommending this, but I'm sure that there are children (and adults) out there who will love it. ( )

Leeva is largely ignored by her parents: fame-obsessed mayor mother, and money-obsessed town treasurer father. She is forbidden to leave the house except to fetch the newspaper, from which she collects new words. When she sees news about the school, though, she asks to go, and they forbid it. So Leeva rebels in secret, sneaking out of the house and through the hedge next door, where she discovers a public library. Librarian Pauline Flowers and her nephew Harry Flowers, an aspiring actor, help Leeva begin to answer the question "What are people for?" On errands around town, Leeva also meets Osmund, the son of insurance salespeople, who protects himself from everything; a badger called Bob; and a girl called Fern, who loves books as much as Leeva does. When Leeva's greedy parents go too far, she takes responsibility to fix the town.

See also: Matilda by Roald Dahl, illus. Quentin Blake

Quotes

Learning that you cannot trust the people you've relied on is devastating... (18)

Maybe, if she became the daughter they wanted, they'd become the parents she wanted. (68)

"You can't predict what's going to happen when you set off for somewhere new." (79)

"But then...how could she be happy if you make yourself so sad?" (84)

A great deal in life, apparently, depended on one's point of view. (103)

"Everything that happens is better when someone else shares it with you." (158)

"Harry...notices things and figures out a way to help." (165)

"Bad things happen, Leeva!"
"Good things happen, too, Osmund!" (202)

Yes, she was responsible for [this disaster]. But didn't that just mean she was responsible for fixing things? (211)

How heroic they were, persisting in growing against such odds, with no one caring for them. (Leeva observing dandelions, 221) ( )

Leeva at Last left me a bit torn. It is an absurdist book recommended for grades 3-7, and that age group is probably old enough to recognize the absurdity and improbability of Leeva's living situation. Somehow, books like Pippi Longstocking (I'm showing my age!) never seemed disturbing, as Pippi had no nasty parents and was exuberantly happy. I'm not entirely sure about Leeva, though. I, myself, felt uncomfortable and unhappy reading about the way her parents treated her. There is no physical abuse, but the emotional abuse was extreme. They ignored her and told her they did not want her. In addition, they made Leeva do all the cooking and housework and do math calculations for her father, the town treasurer. They also kept track of every penny spent on her, which was very little, so that she could pay it back when she was old enough to get a job. This horrible pair didn't even allow Leeva to attend school because, as her mother said, the school only taught "Human Inanities ."Despite this, Leeva, a brilliant girl, had taught herself to read and to do math.
By chapter 5, when Leeva disobeys her Employee Handbook and leaves her property, things begin to look up, and Leeva is exposed to the wondrous world of books and people. The rest of the book is inventive and hilarious, and the reader cheers for each of Leeva's discoveries. Her quest is to discover what people are for, and she learns many reasons during her days out of the house. Despite the uneasy feelings I had at the beginning of the book, I loved the rest. I would urge parents of sensitive children to discuss Leeva's parents and the author's intent to make them ludicrous rather than abusive. Following that, enjoy the fun as the absurdity becomes playful, and Leeva's life rapidly becomes happier as she discovers that people are for many things, including love.
Thank you to NetGalley, Harper Collins Children's Books and Balzer & Bray for the ARC of this book. ( )