Matylda, Bright and Tender

By Holly M. McGhee

A tragic accident tests a girl's friendship and her bond with a pet lizard.

4.0/5 Goodreads · 419 ratings

224 pages· 35,527 words· Est. 5 hour read

$16.99Save 6%

In stock. Also at Amazon or Bookshop.

Bookroo's summary

Sussy and Guy, inseparable fourth-grade friends, find joy in their pet lizard, Matylda. But when a tragic accident shatters their world, Sussy clings to Matylda, hoping to keep Guy's spirit alive. As she grapples with loss, her actions take a surprising turn, challenging her understanding of love, grief, and healing. Can Sussy find a way to move forward while honoring her friendship with Guy? This poignant tale explores the depths of friendship and the lengths one will go to hold onto love.

From the publisher

In a courageous debut novel, Holly M. McGhee explores the loss that shakes one girl’s world – and the unexpected consequences of the things we do for love. Sussy and Guy are best friends, fourth-graders who share their silliest thoughts and deepest hopes. One afternoon, the two of them decide they must have something of their very own to love. After a trip to the pet store, they bring home a spotted lizard, the one with the ancient face and starfish toes, and they name her Matylda (with a y so it’s all her own). With Guy leading the way, they feed her and give her an origin story fit for a warrior lizard. A few weeks later, on a simple bike ride, there is a terrible accident. As hard as it is, Sussy is sure she can hold on to Guy if she can find a way to love Matylda enough. But in a startling turn of events, Sussy reconsiders what it means to grieve and heal and hope and go on, for her own sake and Matylda’s. By turns both devastating and buoyant, this story is a brave one, showing how far we can justify going for a real and true friend.

At a glance