Nothing Else But Miracles by Kate Albus
Twelve-year-old Dory Byrne’s pop is fighting Hitler in Europe while she lives in their apartment with her older and younger brothers back in New York City.
They have everything they need but when their new landlord thinks they’re troublemakers and needs an adult living with them instead of just neighbors looking out for them, Dory sets out to take an abandoned elevator to an escape to some old hotel rooms.
But can they keep the landlord from calling the city on them? And will their pop make it back from fighting in the war?
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LJR’s Thoughts for Nothing Else But Miracles
Albus’ debut novel, A Place to Hang the Moon, quickly made it to our top 3 favorite read-alouds of all time. The book is also highly recommended in many Christian homeschooling circles. To say I had high expectations for Albus’ next story is an understatement. A Place to Hang the Moon is a difficult story to beat.
Though Nothing Else But Miracles is a great story and I will probably read it aloud to my own children, it falls a little shy of being the recommendation it’s predecessor for a few reasons listed below.
If the content warnings don’t keep you from picking up this book, you’ll find the relationship between Dory and her brothers just delightful and the love they have for their dad is truly endearing.
Plenty of good can be found in this charming book and great starters for discussion about God being with us even in our darkest days.
Overall Rating: 4.25 out of 5
Christian Morals/Values: 3 out of 5
Story: 5 out of 5
Read-Aloud Value: 4 out of 5
Discussion Value: 5 out of 5
Recommended Post: The Vanderbeekers on the Road by Karina Yan Glaser
Content Considerations
In our usual LJR fashion, we try to find anything that Christian families may want to know about ahead of time to address, skip, or dig deeper into. Take a look at what we found below. Our take on Discipleship Opportunities is at the bottom of the review.
- Positive Behavior: Dory and her brothers do love each other and look out for each other. They love their pop and all have a good relationship. The neighborhood looks out for Dory’s family while their pop is fighting in Europe.
- Negative Behavior: Dory lies to her brother and sneaks into a restaurant when it’s closed. Throughout the book, the children stay in the abandoned hotel rooms (this is the whole premise of the book).
- Language: Character says “Jesus, Mary, and Joseph” as an exclamation. Also the use of Holy Moly and “God willing” (in appropriate context). A soldier says “give him h-ll” when talking to a boy throwing a baseball at a picture of Hitler’s face.
- Violence/Intense Scenes: Mention of a pirate who was hanged
- Religion/Spirituality: See language section. Dory refers to her pop’s letter as a “sort of talisman”. Statue of Liberty referred to as a green goddess and Dory speaks to her much in the same way Christians would pray to God. Mention of seances and tarot cards though it’s only a mention and none of the main characters engage in these things.
- Racism/Discrimination: none
- Romance/Sexuality: A twelve-year-old boy likes Dory. Sixth graders go to a school dance. Dory’s older brother likes a girl and they hold hands by the end of the book and gives her a peck on the cheek. A twelve-year-old boy gives a girl a peck on the cheek. A lady’s shirt gets blown up to her elbows. No mention of what’s under but Dory’s younger brother asks her “aren’t you glad you wear trousers?”
- Substance Usage: A man smoked a cigar
Discipleship Opportunities
Often these verses can lead to misuse and being misunderstood out of context so use these as a springboard for deeper study.
- Though Dory is innocently talking to the Statue of Liberty, it would technically be talking to an idol and essentially praying to her. Exodus 20 addresses the Ten Commandments
- Dory often references how “the neighborhood will give you what you need” – a saying their Pop tells them before he leaves to fight the war. This would be a great lead in to God as our provider but also talking about our greatest good as being shaped more into Christ’s likeness. Luke 12:24, John 3:16, Matthew 6:31-32, 2 Corinthians 5:17, Romans 8:28-20
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