Mick Harte Was Here

When discussing favorite children’s books, my friend, a counselor, said his was the fictional middle grade novel, MICK HARTE WAS HERE. Imagine my surprise when I discovered that the 1995 treasure was written by the author of the beloved JUNIE B. JONES series, recently deceased Barbara Park.Park wrote this conversational story with such heart and humor, I’d swear narrator Phoebe Harte really was Park’s 13-year-old self. As a storyteller, Park knew and loved her audience. She tackled the complex subject of death candidly, yet compassionately, without being overdramatic or condescendingly romantic about the deceased person’s life. We felt Phoebe’s pain and we marveled in her hope. MICK HARTE WAS HERE is the perfect writer’s resource on how to be real. I can see why it was a counselor's favorite.Favorite lines:But I can still remember the exact conversation I had with Santa Claus when I was in kindergarten.He said, “Ho ho ho.”I said, “Your breath smells.”And he said, “Get down.”

I first read this book as a young teenager, and it still is fondly held in my memory of how the story plays out. Mick Harte is dead, and the book doesnt waste time telling you that or how he died. It was a fluke, an accident that could happen to anyone at anytime. But the story isnt about Mick, it is about his older sister and how his death has impacted her life in the days after his death. It goes over things the parents have done, and how people have supported the sister and the family. If you have not lost anyone close to you, this is likely the closest you will come to feeling the pain that someone who has lost a loved out has felt.This purchase was as a gift, but as I recall the book is easy reading, and it may seem too easy a read for adults. A perfect book for teens, but an amazing story for adults as well.

My brother died.He wasn’t 12 and it wasn’t a bicycle accident. I’m not a child, I’m a grown woman with a husband and 3 kids.But this simply told story about a little girl and her grief is so unbelievably relatable for anyone who has suffered the untimely death of a loved one. I’ve tried to read grief books and talk to people about it, but people say stupid things, and grief counselors who write books may not know what this type of loss feels like. Like a cannonball wound to the abdomen, as she so aptly describes it.Thank you to the writer of this book. Just, thank you.

This book was for an 11 year old who lost her older brother. She read it in two days. She said that it had swear words in it, lol. She said she laughed through out the book and cried as well. She said she was glad that she read it and would suggest it to her old sisters as well.

One of the darkest books I have ever seen marketed as young adult fiction. MHwasH is essentially an ad hoc fictional eulogy to a 7th grade girl's brother who was killed in a freak accident. The writing is indistinguishable from that of an actual 7th grade girl and I mean that only in the most positive way, although I find it deeply off-putting that throughout the book there seems to be a constant undertone that it was the boy’s fault that he was killed because he was not wearing a bicycle helmet. Overall, however, I have read Mick Harte before and I will read Mick Harte again.--Amelia

I liked this book because u should always wear ur helmet while riding your bike and I thought it was sad when mick died because he is like the funny kid at first I recommend this book to anybody and everybody because u learn a great lesson u should always wear ur helmet when u are riding a bike

A bike helmet... that is what mick Harte decided NOT to wear for 12 years and 5 months and look we're that got him, In a hospital We're he died. but if only mick had worn that helmet he would have lived. Reality or not, mick Harte died just because he said the helmet made him look like a dork. (Which it doesn't!) Barbara park wrote this book for a reason you know, we're a bike helmet! And as Barbara park says, please, don't let mick Harte's story Be your story!!!

This is a unique book dealing with death. I know that sounds morbid, but the author is able to do this and even with humor. Very touching young chapter book. You won’t forget Mick.

As a teacher, I would recommend this book 100%. It is written in student-friendly language and really captures the attention of ALL students.

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