June 6, 2018

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Hi Readers,

                I just finished reading my third book from the Helen Ruffin Reading Bowl 2018-2019 list, and so far this is my absolute favorite of the three. The Many Worlds of Albie Bright by Christopher Edge was both intriguing and emotional for me as a reader.  Like Albie, my mother passed of cancer.  I’m not spoiling anything here, her death is the catalyst for the adventure.  He can’t imagine the world without her, so he heads off to find a world where she still exists. I can relate to his need to seek her out.  I see my own mother in everyday things, like my daughter’s singing talents or in a piece of furniture she loved that now sits in my own home.  I find myself looking for her just the way Albie searches for his mother in parallel universes.  Using technology his mother invented, Albie gets to meet other versions of himself that are different because of one small change in that particular reality. The most fun for the reader is finding similarities and differences between worlds. The author uses comparisons of tiny details from Albie’s life to those of the people he meets each time he moves to another world to create connections that relate to Albie's emotional experiences.

                 I enjoyed the author’s take on the importance of depending on relationships and the need to rely on each other to get through difficult situations.  A great deal of humor and science fiction references take the reader on an adventure that brings the realty of loss together with the need for communication and understanding.

                I want to hear what you think about Albie’s adventures. Please send your reviews to this email address, lester.kimberly@muscogee.k12.ga.us.  I’ll print our work together so we may encourage others to read a great book.   Don’t be afraid to write a review, even if you don’t care for this book.  Your review does not need to agree with mine.  Use your voice to inform and inspire and I will print your well-crafted and thoughtful review.

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I look forward to hearing your literary opinion.

Enjoy a great book!!!

:) Dr. Lester