A New Friend for Kimi and Alis

Sometimes I meet characters in books who feel like friends. And other times I meet characters I’m sure would be friends with my characters, if only they’d had a chance to meet somehow.

Mimi Yoshiko Oliver from Marilyn Hilton’s beautiful verse novel, Full Cicada Moon, reminds me of my Kimi and Alis. It’s Mimi’s passion and her “raindrops are stronger than hammers” approach to the world that feels familiar and true.

In case you’re curious, here are some characters I know would be friends with Mavis Betterly:

Lydia Hawkins from Child of the Mountains
Francie Nolan from A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
Mattie Gokey from A Northern Light
Elisa Cantor from Undercover