THE BLUE GLASS HEART

A shard of glass connects a family through time and distance.

Sarah, a Jewish girl who lives in early 20th-century New York City, accidentally breaks her Bubbe’s glass bowl. She is lovingly forgiven and saves a heart-shaped piece of glass, which she takes with her to Coney Island the next day. Playing in the sand, Sarah loses the piece in the ocean; it travels the waves and currents to Florida and then Venezuela before washing ashore in Tel Aviv, Israel. Yael, playing on the beach, finds it and carries it with her to New York, her new home. It is an alien place to her except for Ruth, a girl who befriends her on the playground. Yael gifts Ruth the glass. When Ruth shows it to her mother, she hears a family story from generations ago about a broken bowl. Is this Sarah’s heart-shaped piece? McDonough has crafted a warm story of family love, intergenerational ties, and friendship. At the crux of it is that beautifully compelling found object. Colorful illustrations gently convey beach scenes and ocean expanses. Those looking for a tale of memories from generations past will find it here. Main characters are light-skinned.

A quiet and loving story that lingers.