New Books

Greetings!

I have a few more new books for you to learn about.

Half a Chance by Cynthia Lord is a wonderful book about a young girl who moves to a house on a lake in New Hampshire one summer. Her father is a professional photographer and Lucy wants to show her father that she is talented, too. As Lucy is getting used to the move, she meets Nate from next door. Nate’s family and his grandma Lilah, come to the lake for the summer every year. Grandma Lilah is an official Loon watcher for the Loon Preservation Committee and the children kayak out to check on the loons for her each day since she cannot get around like she used to. But Grandma Lilah has another problem – she is having ‘bad days’ where she cannot remember things and she gets frightened. Lucy and Nate try hard to help Grandma Lilah, but the time comes when they must accept the changes that are happening. Nate helps Lucy find pictures for a photography contest for kids. At first Lucy is just wanting to show her father what she is capable of doing, and deep down she knows that since her father is a judge, she is not eligible for the contest. But if she and Nate win the contest, they can rent a pontoon boat and take Grandma Lilah out to see the loons and make her summer.

There are a number of photography hints and ideas in this book wrapped in the story. Mix in some friendship issues and you have a great story.

We’ve all heard about Hurricane Katrina and the damage that was done and there have been some great stories about the people involved in the hurricane. This is a story about Armani who is about to turn ten years old and is planning her birthday party and boy is it going to be an event! Turning ten is a big deal to Armani because it means that she is older, and more responsible. But the hurricane comes and tears apart her plans and her world. This is a story of survival and courage in the face of not knowing what is going to happen or if she will see her family again.

Julie Lamana was working in Louisiana when Hurricane Katrina tore New Orleans apart and was one of the people helping displaced children through this tragedy. She had a unique view of the survivor’s experience and got the idea to write Upside Down in the Middle of Nowhere.


Suzy’s little brother helps to save a neighbor by calling 911 and becomes a local hero. Everyone pays attention to him and not her. Her best friend is becoming interested in things that Suzy isn’t interested in, and Suzy feels left out. As the summer progresses, Suzy reads a book about Emily Dickinson and decided that she will just do exactly as Emily did. Emily wore long white dresses, so Suzy will wear long white dresses. Emily was a recluse, so Suzy will stay in her room and be just like Emily. Suzy writes letters and delivers them using a basket on a rope out her window – just like Emily. Suzy even refuses to answer to anything but ‘Emily’. It doesn’t take too long for Suzy to become bored with spending Another Day as Emily.

Eileen Spinelli has written this charming book in verse form, but as I read it, I forgot that it was in verse. I only remembered this when I took another look to write this blurb for you. The illustrations are more like occasional page decorations. There is a lot of white space and though the book looks ‘thick’, it reads quickly.



I hope you enjoy these three books. Have a great week.
Audrey