Book: Until Niagara Falls (2020)
Author: Jennifer Maruno
Genre: MG, Historical Fiction (1960)
Basic plot: Brenda lives in Niagara Falls, Canada. She’s doing a school project on the Great Blondin who’s famous for walking across the falls on a tightrope. When she meets Maureen, the new girl from Toronto, Brenda begins to feel like she’s walking on her own tightrope…
WHAT’S COOL…
1) I loved all the Niagara Falls information in this book. I didn’t actually live there, but we lived close enough that I knew about most of her references. Like Dufferin Islands as a swimming location! (Sadly, you can’t swim there anymore. Really, it was one of the coolest places you could swim!)
2) Maureen was a complex character to like. And yet, she really needs a friend like Brenda! At times I felt bad for her, and other times I wanted Brenda to just get out of there.
3) I liked how the neighbour fit into the story. Especially, with the dog and the CNE. I thought it worked well.
4) The scene with the bicycle at the library! Ooh boy. That Maureen is a tricky one. I love how it slowly dawns on Brenda about how Maureen really got the bike. And even better yet was how it all fit into the plot by the end of the story!
5) I liked that Maureen’s mom, while obviously overwhelmed, isn’t a horrible parent. I was glad that Brenda figures out that she can go to the mom to appeal to her with regards to Maureen and the stolen bracelet.
6) Granny is also a complex character that I grew to love. I was prepared to NOT like her, but she grew on me. I hope she does make it to Scotland!
7) Loved the Krick’s Pickles story line! (Doubly cool that it’s partly true!)
FINAL THOUGHTS
Love this book! I found all the Niagara Falls bits to be like a nostalgic walk back in time. But, even if you’ve never been to the Falls, this would be an enjoyable read. The friendship between Brenda and Maureen complicated. Well worth the read!
YOUR TURN…
Have you read this book? What are your thoughts? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments!
Note: I’m posting this for Greg Pattridge’s Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday…
Of Maria Antonia 
That’s so cool that you live close enough to Niagara Falls. I always love visiting there. This sounds like a great story, and I love the setting. Thanks for sharing it with us.
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Yes, Niagara Falls is quite amazing, isn’t it? And it was a good story 🙂
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I loved visiting Niagara Falls — so beautiful, so this story would be nostalgic and bring back memories. Interesting plot and characters. Thanks for sharing today!
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I wasn’t around in 1960, but this book pretty much describes Niagara Falls from when I was a kid. It’s changed a bit in the last few years. Good book, though!
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What a great setting for this story. I’ve added it to my TBR list and hope to get to it in the next month or two. Thanks for featuring on MMGM.
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Hope you enjoy reading it!
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I’m curious about the story with Niagara Falls as a setting! I’m also curious about the friendship between the two main characters. Jennifer Maruno’s books are always great. You’ve sold me on this one — going to look for it!
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I haven’t read anything else by the author, but I will be looking for more of her books now!
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This sounds like a great book! It’s great to see books where the friendships are appropriately complex and where the parents are realistic. Thanks for the great review!
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This was certainly a complex friendship. But as you say, life is usually like that, isn’t it?
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Niagara Falls isn’t a setting one sees very often in books. This sounds like an interesting and complex story. Thanks for the heads up. I will look for this one.
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This sounds really interesting! I like the Niagra Falls setting, and it sounds like it has a complex friendship, which most kids this age will relate to.
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