POPPY

POPPY by Avi

A couple of years ago I tried to read Ragweed (Book 1 of the Poppy Series) aloud to my youngest daughter. I'm not sure why, but we really struggled getting into the story and ended up not finishing it. Fast forward to now. I was browsing our bookshelf and came across Poppy (Book 3 of the Poppy Series). I pulled it off the shelf and sat down to read it, and overall found myself pleasantly surprised. There is a debate as to what order you should read the Poppy Series in. I'll just tell you it's not necessary to read Book 1 to enjoy Book 3.

Poppy is the coming of age story of a shy, little deer mouse that finds her strength in life.

Poppy plays it safe and follows the rules of the mouse clan. Ragweed, her deer mouse love interest, scoffs and laughs at the restrictions put on them and writes them off as completely unnecessary. One night, Poppy and Ragweed climb to the top of a hill where they're not supposed to be, and before they know it, Mr. Ocax, the owl, swoops down, and kills Ragweed instantly. (There's nothing like consequences for our actions is there? Avi doesn't shy away here!) Stumbling back home, Poppy interrupts a meeting of the mouse families discussing the shortages that they are dealing with in their current location. They need to move to a bigger area. The problem? Mr. Ocax has forced them to stay there with lies about the outside world and the promise of safety if they remain and follow his rules. Poppy knows the clan must move, and so against the wishes of her father, she sets out to find a new home where they all can thrive. To do this means to face Mr. Ocax one on one and the fears she's been led to believe.

Yes, there is a streak of disobedience in Poppy. However, this book is more about facing fears and that the biggest things in life that hold us back are not usually worthy of the amount of mental time we give them!

HEADS UP- As previously stated, there is a bit of a rebellious streak at the beginning especially with Ragweed, but then he ends up dead. Avi goes so far as for Poppy to find Ragweed 's earring in an owl pellet. The book is not gory in detail, but it doesn't stray away from the hardness and reality of life at times.