Trowbridge Road Hardcover – October 6, 2020

Marcella Pixley's "Trowbridge Road" is a deeply moving book that presents something like a vision of heaven, though somehow the author has honestly and refreshingly kept the darkness in in there, woven around and through, too. I wish she and I could have a talk about it. My mind goes right to her "ninth dimension" when I open it, and I feel as if a loving hand has been placed on my heart. Being a New Englander (grew up in Newton Highlands right behind the Elliott Station where her characters live), I am not accustomed to using words like this. Her gift is huge. Forget about the category saying it is for "young adults". It is for everyone and promises every reader a true rest from the struggles of the world.

Beautifully written book about young people and their families in 1983 facing difficulties which easily translate to today: Bullying, substance abuse, mental illness, domestic violence, loneliness/isolation, and AIDS (the fears surrounding which easily translate to those of COVID). The young main characters find love and support in people and ways they surely did not expect. It’s a fast read, the writing flows beautifully and easily; I had a hard time putting it down. When I was finished it lingered in my head for quite a while. Brava to Marcella Pixley for this powerful book!

Such a compassionate and meaningful book, well-written and deserving of it's acclaim.

This is a pre-teen, middle school book that addresses difficult issues of mental illness, AIDS, loneliness, and hunger. After her father dies of AIDS, June Bug's mother retreats into herself and creates complicated rituals of cleanliness and isolation. When Ziggy, another kid moves in down the street, June Bug befriends him. Together, they create a magical world where they can both be happy.This was a well written book. It addressed difficult issues in a relatable and sympathetic way. Although I felt very sad after reading the book, I think it will be an important read for younger teens. Overall, 4 out of 5 stars.

This is a beautiful novel about a child facing a truly difficult situation -- her mother's emotional instability and anxiety about germs and infection, and her father's death from AIDS. Marcella Pixley writes with keen sensitivity and courage about this child, June Bug, as she starts to understand what is unhealthy in her home life with her well-meaning but misguided mother, and to open herself up to the world of love around her, in the form of her kind uncle, her new friend Ziggy (one of my favorite characters of all time!), and Ziggy's wonderful grandmother. It is incredibly satisfying to see both June Bug and Ziggy create a real friendship together, woven out of their soaring imaginations; in fact, I have rarely seen a book for children that portrays this richly how children's amazing imagination can transform the world around them. I believe this book will help a lot of kids cope with the many daunting challenges in our own contemporary life, including pandemics and the stress that can be placed on family life. The difficulties June Bug and Ziggy face are big, and honestly presented, yet the children's hearts and creativity, together with the love surrounding them, bring reassurance and joy to this very special story.

This book is set during the 1980s AIDS epidemic, featuring June Bug Jordan whose father has died of AIDS, and whose mother has since isolated herself. June Bug meets Ziggy. Both have been bullied by the other kids. Both have had tough relationships with their mothers. But the magical world they create is where they can both be themselves. This story shows the power of friendship and imagination, and how it can persevere and guide us through difficulties.

With a mother who suffered from manic depressionJune Bug and I have a lot in common. I often went to my own Majestica too! Great read to understand mental health.

Ziggy and June both come from difficult homes and are bullied by many of their peers. They create a world called Majestica where they make the rules, and wonderful things happen everyday. A wonderful summer of magic and adventure is threatened when the secrets the adults are carrying threaten to ruin everything."I knew if I told, it could expose the rotten beams, the crumbling foundation, and, in a single breath, I would destroy everything. How could I tell her that the secrets were what kept us standing on our feet? Every night, we gathered the secrets into our arms and cradled them to sleep...We promised we would protect them."