Being a typewriter is not as easy as it looks. Surrounded by books (notorious attention hogs) and recently replaced by a computer, Olivetti has been forgotten by the Brindle family—the family he’s lived with for years. The Brindles are busy humans, apart from 12-year-old Ernest, who would rather be left alone with his collection of Oxford English Dictionaries. The least they could do was remember Olivetti once in a while, since he remembers every word they’ve typed on him. It’s a thankless job, keeping memories alive.

Olivetti gets a rare glimpse of action from Ernest’s mom, Beatrice–his used-to-be most frequent visitor, only for her to drop him off at Heartland Pawn Shop and leave him helplessly behind. When Olivetti learns Beatrice has mysteriously gone missing afterward, he believes he can help find her. He breaks the only rule of the “typewriterly code” and types back to Ernest, divulging Beatrice’s memories stored inside him.

Their search takes them across San Francisco—chasing clues, maybe committing a few misdemeanors. As Olivetti spills out the past, Ernest is forced to face what he and his family have been running from, The Everything That Happened. Only by working together will they find Beatrice, belonging, and the parts of themselves they’ve lost.

This was such a powerful, touching, and heartfelt middle grade book. The big overall topic hit extremely close to home for me, so it was very emotional at times and hard to read. But it covered so many difficult themes and emotions in such a beautiful, sensitive, and engaging way. I won’t spoil anything, but I’ve been through “The Everything That Happened” scenario, and it was one of the hardest times of my life. It also happened to my mom, and I was only 16 at the time. We weren’t as lucky, and we went from a family of five down to four. So I could relate and connect to Ernest and his family on a deeper level than most readers who haven’t been through that kind of ordeal. Definitely keep the tissue box handy because you may need it; I did! I was sobbing at the end! 

I loved the creativity of this story. Making an inanimate object come to life and feel is one of my favorite stories. I adored Olivetti. He’s sassy, snarky, and witty, but also sensitive, curious, and generous. He just wanted to be loved and cared for. His fondness for the Brindle family was so endearing. The way he cared about them and wanted to help find Beatrice, the mother, was incredibly heartwarming. He made me laugh so many times with his observations of humans, almost like he was an alien watching and noticing how we act and behave. It offered a unique perspective for the reader to take a step back and also observe how we act and behave, which allowed me to reflect on my own behaviors, thoughts, and emotions. I also enjoyed learning about this world Olivetti lived in, how he communicated with other typewriters, and the rules they had to follow. I had such a great time reading about Olivetti’s story and the adventure he went on. The magical realism parts with the typewriter were thoroughly entertaining. I appreciated how this story highlighted a long-forgotten piece of equipment that most young people today probably don’t know much about or even know what it is. Ha! 

The family that we’re introduced to was going through a lot. There were four children and then the parents, and each person was experiencing their own pain and torment of emotions from dealing with this traumatic situation. I loved watching the development of this family. At first, they were all isolated and kept to themselves. But then slowly, throughout the unfolding of the story, they were brought together to face this challenge as one, and they realized they were stronger together and had to go through the difficult time as a group instead of individually. I enjoyed watching them come together as a whole unit, open up to each other, and allow others to help them through all the overwhelming emotions they were dealing with. It was incredibly moving and sentimental. 

The mystery of finding the mother was also very interesting and captivating. I kept wanting to know what happened to her. I also liked the introduction of Quinn, who becomes Ernest’s new friend. She’s spunky, outspoken, resourceful, clever, independent, and a little bossy. She’s the exact opposite of Ernest. It felt like they balanced each other out perfectly, and she was exactly what he (and his family) needed. I enjoyed watching their friendship develop. At first, she annoyed me, but then her sweetness came out in her own way. 

I also liked the nod to the book, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. There were some other pop culture references that I enjoyed as well. 

Life is messy and difficult, and we don’t always know how to deal with our thoughts, feelings, and emotions – not even adults. Many of us just want to run away or hide from challenging events in our lives, but it’s when we face them head-on that we grow, become stronger and more resilient, and learn more about ourselves. There’s no walking around the “fire,” you must walk through it. This story shows us what can happen when you face the “fire” and walk through it, especially with your family and loved ones. It’s real, honest, and raw as it shows us the power of family and friends, being vulnerable, and facing your fears. Very powerful! 

This story takes you on an emotional rollercoaster – you’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll be curious. It has heartbreak in it, but it’s also full of hope and love. I absolutely loved it and was quite surprised by how much it affected me and captured my heart. Highly recommend!! 

For a debut author, I’m impressed and excited to read more from her in the future!