Module 7: Mick Harte Was Here

Phoebe Harte's brother, Mick Harte, is dead. She wants readers to know this in the very beginning of the book so we are not surprised. She retells the story of how Mick was killed in a bicycle accident, wavering between grief for Mick and recalling happy times with her brother. No one is immune to grief, depression, and feelings of despair in this book. The family runs the gamet of emotions, but eventually begins to communicate about Mick and how special he was.

Reference:
Park, B. (1996). Mick Harte was Here. New York: Random House.

My impressions of the book:
This book strikes a good balance between grief and happiness. When someone dies it is hard to cope with the loss at first and one's body runs through different stages of grief. I felt like I had an inside view of the family, their personal struggles, and how they were choosing to overcome their family member's death. The book's message is clear and one all children should heed: wear your bike helmet.

Reviews:
List, S.K. (n.d.) Mick Harte Was Here Book Review. Retrieved from http://www.commonsensemedia.org/book-reviews/mick-harte-was-here/details
This book is a demonstration of the devastating power of simplicity. With breathtaking economy and precise strokes, Barbara Park brings Mick Harte and his sister Phoebe to vivid life. And because Park gives Phoebe such a distinct, genuine voice, her reactions are real and familiar. Park moves the reader back and forth, from Mick to his sister, gradually disengaging them, separating the tightly interwoven strands of their lives, until Phoebe can stand alone. The author makes hardly a misstep; all the book's elements are tied together with enormous skill. Even the lesson about wearing bicycle helmets is made so directly and simply that it doesn't seem at all preachy. In fact, when the father wishes he had made Mick wear his, it's one of the book's most moving moments.

Not all young readers will want or be able to handle the questions Park asks. But those who do will find that, with MICK HARTE WAS HERE, "here" is a lasting place in their hearts.



Use in a library setting:
This books would be well suited for an upper grade book club or for a unit on bicycle safety.