The Key to Every Thing
The Key to Every Thing by Pat Schmatz, published by Candlewick Press on May 8, 2018, is a 208-page work of juvenile fiction that explores themes of family, grief, and self-reliance. The story centers around eleven-year-old Tash, who views her elderly neighbor, Cap’n Jackie, as family. When Cap’n Jackie disappears, Tash believes she holds the key to bringing her back, leading her on a journey of discovery and emotional growth.
Readers will find a narrative that delves into Tash’s struggles with separation and the importance of her relationships, particularly with her uncle Kevin and Cap’n Jackie. As Tash navigates her summer camp experience, she grapples with the loss of Cap’n Jackie and the magic of their shared memories. This edition presents a heartfelt exploration of childhood fears and the transition into new experiences, inviting readers to reflect on themes of family and resilience.
Official synopsis Publisher
For eleven-year-old Tash, Cap’n Jackie isn’t just the elderly next-door neighbor — she’s family. When she disappears, only Tash holds the key that might bring her back.
Tash didn’t want to go to camp, didn’t want to spend the summer with a bunch of strangers, didn’t want to be separated from the only two people she has ever been able to count on: her uncle Kevin, who saved her from foster care, and Cap’n Jackie, who lives next door. Camp turns out to be pretty fun, actually, but when Tash returns home, Cap’n Jackie is gone. And Tash needs her — the made-up stories of dolphin-dragons, the warm cookies that made everything all right after a fight, the key Cap’n Jackie always insisted had magic in it. The Captain always said all Tash had to do was hold it tight and the magic would come. Was it true? Could the key bring Cap’n Jackie back? In a heartfelt and stunningly written story, Pat Schmatz introduces readers to a tenacious, fiercely loyal girl struggling to let go of the fantasies and fears of her childhood . . . and say yes to everything that lies ahead.
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