Christy Martenson

Love, Mary Elizabeth is a riveting account of a young girl coming of age and learning love really does hold a family together. From its tender beginning to the heartfelt climax, the author engages her readers with wit, charm, and endurance.

Love, Mary Elisabeth is an absolute treasure; the kind of story that makes you want to travel back in time. Charming, delightful, imaginative. I could hardly put it down!

With a keen attention to historical fact, an unparalleled ability to depict the innocence of a young girl’s displaced heart, and a seemingly innate talent for storytelling, Christy Martenson portrays the 1920’s hard times tenacity, make-do resolve, and oftentimes humorous grit of rural Americana in a timeless saga, Love, Mary Elisabeth. The illustrations add depth of detail to Christy's debut novel — making it a book to be treasured by all ages.

Love, Mary Elisabeth is an entertaining and original read. As a teacher who has read thousands of kids' books, I can vouch that this book was written by an extremely creative author!

Reading Love, Mary Elisabeth was like taking a walk through a sun-warmed flower garden at sunset. Everything comfortable about a whimsically relatable childhood, but with magical surprises along the way. I laughed alongside Mary Elisabeth's antics, ached with her as she faced the unfortunate realities of life, and rejoiced with her as growing pangs morphed into new mystery explained.  I especially loved reading unexpectedly perfect descriptions of childhood perspective, relating them to my own experiences, and walking with Mary Elisabeth as she navigated through her year of changes.