give and take, by Elly Swartz. Farrar Straus Giroux, Macmillan. Raincoast. 2019. $22.50 ages 9 and up

"The panic rises from the place
that holds my forever good-byes.
To Nana.
And now, Izzie.
I hug this little human who smells
like powder, and a tear slips out.
I don't want to let her go. Don't
want to be forgotten. I want to
teach her how to ride a two-
wheeler, hold her hand when she
crosses the street, and be annoyed
when she borrows my favorite ... "

Life for 12-year- old Maggie is not easy. She is missing her grandmother, who has recently died. She is also worried because, in the end, the grandmother she loved so much no longer knew her beloved granddaughter. Maggie wonders if the same thing might happen to her. Might she forget things that are so important in her life? To ease the anxiety, she begins to collect things that will remind her about her life. She collects and stores items of great importance, as well as seemingly random and unimportant matter like used milk cartons, feathers, gum wrappers, and diaper tabs.

There is a lot going on in Maggie's life. Her brothers, one older and one younger, are not always easy to get along with; her father, who coaches her all-girl trapshooting team, has decided to replace one of its members with a boy; her parents, wanting to make a difference in the foster care system, have agreed to keep tiny Izzie until her forever family is found. Maggie wants the family to keep Izzie for themselves. Her parents remind her it is a temporary situation. When her pet turtle, Bert, goes missing, Maggie learns that she can count on friends who have her best interests at heart.

The collection boxes in her closet and under her bed, and in her locker at school, are protected with great care by Maggie. When her mother finds them while cleaning Maggie's room (a situation Maggie has worked hard to avoid), Maggie explodes in anger. Frightened by her daughter's outburst and very concerned about her hoarding, the family seeks help. It takes concerned family and friends, and the counselling of a kind and committed doctor to help Maggie begin to deal with her worries.

It isn't a quick or easy process. The family works together to help Maggie meet her goals, to help her understand that the people and things we love live on in our hearts, and to learn that life is all about 'give and take'. There is so much to love about this important middle grade novel - memorable and worthy characters, trapshooting, friendship, love, family, and child hoarding. It is a worthwhile and thoughtful read.

Throughout the telling, readers see the lists Maggie makes of what is contained in her boxes and locker. She gives each stashed item a value, and then works to get rid of those things that have a lesser value that those that mean the most to her. Back matter includes information and resources that are meant to help families and children dealing with anxiety and hoarding.