I watched the movie for this books often as a kid but I hadn’t read the book until now. I’m so glad I finally did!! I loved Mary as a character and seeing her develop empathy and fostering friendship was such a joy. The scene with her and Colin when he’s throwing a fit is such a good one. One aspect of the book that stood out to me was the way Mary and Colin talked about their bodies. They are both thin at the start of the book and as the book goes on they get more of an appetite. They rejoice and are excited about getting fatter. I really liked that. So nostalgic and heartwarming.