Disclaimer: I received this e-arc from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.

Book: Missing Okalee

Author: Laura Ojeda Melchor

Book Series: Standalone

Diversity: Cuban MC, Chippewa cree side characters, Lantinx side characters

Rating: 4/5

Recommended For...: middle grade readers, contemporary, drama

Genre: MG Contemporary

Publication Date: September 7, 2021

Publisher: Shadow Mountain

Pages: 256

Recommended Age: 12+ (Religion, Drowning, Grief, Bullying, Blackmail, Attempted suicide mentioned, Slight violence)

Explanation of CWs: Drowning is shown and talked about in detail. Bullying is shown throughout the book. Religion is sparsely mentioned. There is an attempted suicide mentioned in passing. There is also one punch thrown and aggressive shaking.

Synopsis: When compared to her nearly perfect little sister, Phoebe Paz Petersen feels she doesn’t measure up in her parents’ eyes. Okalee is smart and beloved for her sunny disposition, but if Phoebe can get picked for the coveted solo in the school choir, she’ll stop being a middle-school nobody and finally get her chance to shine.

The sisters have one very special, secret tradition: River Day—when they hold hands and make their way across the cold, rushing Grayling River to celebrate the first hint of spring. This year’s River Day crossing, however, goes horribly wrong, and Phoebe’s world is suddenly turned upside down.

Heartbroken and facing life without Okalee, Phoebe is more determined than ever to sing the solo in the school concert as a way of speaking to her sister one last time. But Phoebe’s so traumatized by what happened, she’s lost her beautiful singing voice.

Kat Waters wants the solo for herself and is spreading a terrible rumor about what really happened to Okalee on River Day. If Phoebe tells the truth, she fears her family will never forgive her and she may never get to sing her goodbye to Okalee

Review: For the most part I really liked this book. I thought that the book was beautifully well written with well developed characters and incredible World building. I feel like if you have a child that is looking for a contemporary book or one that's filled with a slight bit of drama in it, then this is the best book that they can start off with.

However, I did get mad throughout the book with the main character's mother and with the bullying situation. I feel like she was emotionally abusive and I did not like how it made it so her behavior was acceptable given that she was going through grief. I know that in times of grief people act way differently than what they would normally, but when you're a parent that is no excuse to say the things that this character said to her daughter. I also didn't like how the bullying situation was centered on it being the main characters problems to resolve. There are two big instances where the bullying pushed the main character over the cliff so to speak and she retaliated in an aggressive manner. Well acting out violently is not something that kids should be doing on a regular basis, I feel like the whole of the circumstance wasn't considered and I did not feel like the other students were given punishments for their part in the action.

Verdict: It's good!