#MMGM: Olivetti by Allie Millington
ABOUT THE BOOK
Being a typewriter is not as easy as it looks. Surrounded by books (notorious attention hogs) and recently replaced by a computer, Olivetti has been forgotten by the Brindle family—the family he’s lived with for years. The Brindles are busy humans, apart from 12-year-old Ernest, who would rather be left alone with his collection of Oxford English Dictionaries. The least they could do was remember Olivetti once in a while, since he remembers every word they’ve typed on him. It’s a thankless job, keeping memories alive.
Olivetti gets a rare glimpse of action from Ernest’s mom, Beatrice—his used-to-be most frequent visitor—only for her to drop him off at Heartland Pawn Shop and leave him helplessly behind. When Olivetti learns Beatrice has mysteriously gone missing afterward, he believes he can help find her. He breaks the only rule of the “typewriterly code” and types back to Ernest, divulging Beatrice’s memories stored inside him.
Their search takes them across San Francisco—chasing clues, maybe committing a few misdemeanors. As Olivetti spills out the past, Ernest is forced to face what he and his family have been running from, The Everything That Happened. Only by working together will they find Beatrice, belonging, and the parts of themselves they’ve lost.
REVIEW
A hurting young boy who loses himself in his collection of Oxford English Dictionaries must work with an old typewriter to find his missing mother. Olivetti, the typewriter, has been with the Brindle's for a long time, since Beatrice and Felix married through the birth of their four children. He's been there through all the ups and downs, including what Ernest refers to as the "Everything That Happened". After Beatrice disappears one day after selling Olivetti to a pawn shop, Ernest desperately wants to find her. When Olivetti responds to Ernest's typing, Ernest steals the typewriter hoping his mom's memories can help him find her. With the help of a determined young girl named Quinn who refuses to let Ernest push her away, the trio sets out to follow the clues they find in Beatrice's memories recorded by Olivetti. This unusual story conveys the power to be found in stories and memories. Ernest and his family have been desperately avoiding talking about the "Everything That Happened", but it's clear from the beginning that they haven't fully dealt with the consequences of it all. The pain runs so deep that Ernest has stopped talking to his mother and refuses to work with the therapist he's been seeing. But through the journey to find Beatrice, the whole family must learn to face the pain of the past in order to face the challenges of the future together. The emotion shared by the characters, especially Ernest radiates from the story. This is a story that will tug at reader's heartstrings and make them think about their own struggles and how family and friends can help up us carry our loads. A heartfelt, tender story of friendship, and family, told with a touch of magical realism. Recommended.
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