Book Review: Nothing Else But Miracles by Kate Albus

Publisher’s description

From the author of A Place to Hang the Moon comes a hopeful World War II story about three scrappy siblings on the Lower East Side of Manhattan.

When 12-year-old Dory Byrne’s pop left New York City’s Lower East Side to fight Hitler, he promised her and her brothers that they’d be safe. Like he always said, “the neighborhood will give you what you need.”

There’s the lady from the bakery, who saves them leftover crullers. The kind landlord who checks in on them. And every Thursday night, the Byrnes enjoy a free bowl of seafood stew at Mr. Caputo’s restaurant. . . which is where Dory learns about the abandoned hand-pulled elevator that is the only way to get to Caputo’s upper floors.

But when a new landlord threatens their home in the community that’s raised them and kept them safe, the secret elevator—and the abandoned hotel it leads to—provides just the solution they need.

Based on a very real place in old New York and steeped in the history of World War II, Nothing Else but Miracles is a warm and inviting story of resilience, the tight-knit community of the Lower East Side, and the miracles that await in unexpected places.

Amanda’s thoughts

You know what’s miraculous? The run of books I’ve read lately that I consider to be top reads of the year. Am I going to read all my favorite books of 2023 in September? Maybe! And if so, what a way to start the school year! What I’m saying is that this is a stellar book.

Set during WWII, Dory and her brothers Pike and Fish don’t have it easy. Their mother passed away from tuberculosis and their father is gone, again, fighting in the war. That leaves Fish, age 17, in charge of his younger siblings. Sure, the entire neighborhood is looking out for them, but being without their dad is hard. The kids actually do a great job looking after themselves and each other. Fish is so responsible, Pike is so smart, and Dory is so gutsy. Their traits work well together. But when their new landlord makes it clear he isn’t running some kind of orphanage, Dory and her brothers have to think fast. Their landlord wants to meet with their dad to make sure that he exists—a meeting that can’t exactly happen right now. So their best plan is to try to avoid him. If he can’t ask where their dad is, they don’t have to keep lying and trying to avoid a visit from social services. But how do you avoid someone who’s always so close by?

Dory to the rescue! Let me tell you, Dory stands out to me as an absolutely iconic character. She LEAPS off the page. She’s resourceful, brave, determined, and vulnerable. I just adore her. And she has a plan. She has a great new place where they can safely hide out! All they have to do is secretly break into the restaurant of their family friend, pile into a potentially extremely unsafe long-unused dumbwaiter, and live in the sealed off three floors of an old hotel! Problem solved. Whew! Good thing Dory lied about her whereabouts one night and went exploring!

I was completely absorbed in the story of the Byrne siblings. The vibrant setting makes readers feel right there with Dory and her brothers. The rich storytelling is wonderful, full of humor and heart, and I loved the occasional shifts in narrative tone where the reader is let in on something that Dory doesn’t know about. The way the neighborhood rallies around the children and takes care of one another, and the way the siblings watch over one another, is so moving. I couldn’t put this book down. A perfect read.

Review copy (ARC) courtesy of the publisher

ISBN-13: 9780823451630
Publisher: Holiday House
Publication date: 09/05/2023
Age Range: 9 – 12 Years

Filed under: Book Reviews