The Luster of Lost Things by Sophie Chen Keller

This is the story of a boy who can find lost things.  The only lost thing he can't bring back is his father but he chooses to believe he's still alive somewhere and may come home someday.  There's magic and wonder in the story because his mother has a magic book that makes her bakery special.  But then someone steals the book..

G P Putnam's Sons and Edelweiss gave me the opportunity to read this book for review (thank you).  It will be published August 8th.

This is a unique story.  The boy doesn't talk because he can't form his words well and people laugh at him.  So he's silent but he looks and observes.  His mother is going to lose the shop if the magic book doesn't return and he's never lived anywhere else.  He even helps with the baking.  His dad is still lost so he's going to find this book.

He finds it was thrown in the trash and pages are missing.  He chases after the pages and meets people that would scare me.  He just takes them in stride, asks his questions and keeps on collecting pages.  You meet people who live in tunnels under the city.  You meet a man who lost his wife and is determined to take up hang gliding.  You meet an old woman who barely stays alive by collecting cans and bottles and recycling them.  And you meet a young girl who sees nothing wrong with the boy.  Before his journey comes to an end, he's even talking again.

The story has remnants of sorrow but there's an overall positive theme.  Don't give up, you can still have a good life.  That's an important lesson.