Parents' Guide to

The Unfinished Angel

By Debra Bogart, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 9+

Charming and uplifting story is even great to read aloud.

Book Sharon Creech Fantasy 2009
The Unfinished Angel Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this book.

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age 9+

Based on 4 parent reviews

Booly05
Booly05 Parent of 8-year-old
January 5, 2014
age 8+

Angelic

Adorable relationship between a silly spunky little girl and an Angel who is feeling a bit lost. The two of them help other children in their own way.

This title has:

Great messages
Great role models
lschlezinger
lschlezinger Parent of 8 and 8-year-old
February 17, 2011
age 8+

A quiet but engaging book... read aloud for 8-10 year olds

My girls loved the book, and I enjoyed reading it aloud. We giggled at the angel's foibles with Engles (e.g, "peoples" instead of "people"). This is one of those quiet stories that packs a punch. It's very deep. So deep, in fact, that I feel like I need to go back and reread.

This title has:

Great messages
See all 4 parent reviews

What's the Story?

There is an angel living in a Swiss village where life is quiet and good -- until a small American girl named Zola arrives with her papa. Unlike everyone else, Zola can see the angel, because she has dealt with angels before. And she has high expectations for what angels can do. When Zola discovers some homeless children who need help, Zola and the angel help each other, and help the villagers become a closer community in the process.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (4 ):
Kids say (3 ):

This charming book is vintage Creech. Humor and warmth fill this story of a Swiss mountain village and its angel -- living quietly in the past while contemporary problems such as homeless children are right under their noses. The difficulties the village angel has dealing with her task (“Peoples! They are so strange! Did their brains fall out of their heads?”) lead the angel to a better understanding of life on earth. And Zola and her mama and papa also come to the village with plans to make it a better place for everyone. 

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the existence of angels. Can we seem them? What do they really look like? 

  •  Zola thinks she is an angel; could people be angels? Doesn’t Zola do as much good as the angel?

Book Details

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