The Berry Pickers

The Berry Pickers by Peters, Amanda

"A four-year-old girl goes missing from the blueberry fields of Maine, sparking a tragic mystery that will remain unsolved for nearly fifty years July 1962. A Mi'kmaq family from Nova Scotia arrives in Maine to pick blueberries for the summer. Weeks later, four-year-old Ruthie, the family's youngest child, vanishes mysteriously. She is last seen by her six-year-old brother, Joe, sitting on her favourite rock at the edge of a berry field. Joe will remain deeply affected by his sister's disappearance for years to come. In Boston, a young girl named Norma grows up as the only child of an affluent family. Her father is emotionally distant, her mother frustratingly overprotective. Norma is often troubled by recurring dreams and visions that seem more like memories than imagination.

This is the kind of book that rewards readers who like family bonds, sisterhood, and motherhood.

Pick this up if you are drawn to (see also indigenous peoples of turtle island or nat, siblings, literary, and coming of age, layered storytelling, and books that give you something to think about after the last page. It is a strong fit for browsing readers who want a clear emotional hook, a satisfying reading experience, and a story with enough depth to recommend to someone else.