Sweep: The Story of a Girl and Her Monster
Author: Jonathan Auxier
Published September 25, 2018
Page Count: 368
Nan Sparrow loved her life with the Sweep, but one day he vanished. She ended up working for a cruel sweep who only sees his child workers as a paycheck. After getting stuck in a chimney while cleaning it a fire is cruelly lit under her. She expects to die, but instead wakes up in an attic alone, or is she? Huddled in the corner is a golem made of soot and ashes.
Reading Audience:
The suggested reading ages I have seen are eight to ten. I would say there might be some intense parts for an eight year old, depending on their ease to get scared. I really enjoyed this as an adult. I think I would have enjoyed it in elementary school, but I think some of it’s beauty would have been lost on me.
Stuff to be aware of:
It it very real is the areas of child labor, the mistreatment of children during the end of the 1800s, and there is an evil sweep in the story that is very mean to the children that work for him. It has some very sad parts, but I also laughed and was reminded of the innocence of the young. There is no cursing not anything sexual, but there is physical and verbal abuse of children. One character tries to “smoke” Nan out when she gets stuck in a chimney. He lights a fire and Nan almost dies.
Overall:
Beautiful. That is the best way I can describe this book. It is storytelling at its very best. It has historical roots, a little bit of fantasy, and the right mix of both. It’s a little bit Newsies, Totoro, Baymax, and has a pinch of Mary Poppins magic. Sweep is going on my all time favorites list and I can’t wait to read it with my girls.
There are some spiritual aspects to the story. One thing that made me laugh out loud was a kid who had never “been to church” explaining the connection between Santa and Jesus. Even, though I shed some tears there is plenty of happiness and humor in the innocence found in the characters. The book can be summed up by a quote found within, “we save ourselves by saving others.”
If you check it out make sure to read the authors notes and historical notes in the back. Not only is the story amazing, but how the author came up with it is too.
This website receives compensation through the use of Amazon Affiliate links. If you would like to purchase this book, use this Amazon link by clicking the picture below and the commission will go to help keep the website running.
Clicking this image will open a page to Amazon.