“The One-in-a-Million Boy by Monica Wood

A socially awkward boy interviews a 104 year old woman named Ona Vitkus, a Lithuanian immigrant, about her life. She ends up telling him things she’s never told anyone else. The boy has a thing for world records and likes counting and collecting things that add up to the number 10. Wouldn’t it be great if Ona could live long enough to be the oldest woman in the world? The boy (oddly, we never learn his name) and the old woman develop a unique relationship that acts as a catalyst for all that happens after. It’s a lovely story, written well, and keenly observed. Even though the middle dragged on a bit for me, I loved the writing and atmosphere of the book and I liked the ending.