HELLO UNIVERSE the 2018 Newberry Award Winner by Erin Kelly for Young Readers

HELLO UNIVERSE is children's literature at its finest.  Writer Erin Entrada Kelly is a Filipino-American whose delightful novel captures the the creative imagination of youth, its angst and mixes with a twist of magical folklore.  Virgil is the youngest child in a family with 2 older, exceptional brothers.  He's been mostly overlooked & underestimated.  That is until his grandmother Lola arrives from the Philippines and takes a special interest in her grandson.  Lola is sensitive to Virgil's feelings and shares legends of her homeland that are foreign & fearful.  Virgil is haunted by his grandmother's tales.  He and 3 middle schoolers will cross paths in the woods and the wonders of the universe will come into play in a heroic and magical way.  Valencia is a classmate of Virgil's whom he's admired from afar. Valencia relies on her hearing aids & lip reading which casts her aside from her classmates.  Forward thinking sisters Kaori & Gen are open to signs in the universe for guidance.  This motley crew of likable characters collide courageously.   A bully Chet torments Virgil & Valencia but his meanness doesn't measure up against friendship.  HELLO UNIVERSE is a creative & clever story that doesn't talk down to young readers about kindness or virtue.  It opens onto a world of self-awareness in an entertaining escapade.  I highly recommend HELLO UNIVERSE for young readers & adults alike.