Two middle-grade summertime stories, both by Newberry-winning authors:
Half a Chance, by Cynthia Lord. Scholastic, 2014, 218 pages. Age/interest level: 10-14
Lucy is used to moving—it’s her third time in 12 years. This time, her photographer dad and computer-programmer mom
Chapters are named after categories in the Photo Scavenger Hunt contest: Skip, Lost, Beyond Reach, Sticky, etc. As we follow Lucy and Nate on their quest for subjects, readers are invited to see the world as she does: “[Dad] says it’s just as important to show the hard things in the world as it is to show the beautiful ones. Even in the midst of horrible things, there are bits of wonder, and all of it’s true.” Wonder is on offer from the loon pair who build their nest on an island in the lake and invite observation. But there are horrible things in nature and frightening things close to home, which cause Lucy to rethink beauty. She comes to see it’s a matter of perspective: a very useful lesson for a middle-grader. Half a Chance offers a nice closeup of life, expertly shaded. The spiritual dimension is lacking, though; Lucy offers gratitude to “the universe” twice with no acknowledgement of its maker.
- Worldview/moral value: 3.5 (out of 5)
- Literary value: 4
Fly Away, by Patricia MacLachlan. Simon & Shuster, 2014, 108. Age/interest level: 7-10.
The everyday intrudes, such as Mama’s chickens that she can’t leave home without, and Boots’ newfound love for cows. “My parents are crazy.” But Frankie is worse than crazy; she’s stubborn, especially about her house and her determination not to leave it, even though it’s right by the river and the rain has not let up. The prospect of a flood puts a serious damper on a family vacation, and in the crisis that follows, secrets are revealed. Family stresses and family strengths form the core of this story, along with the saving grace of creativity.
- Worldview/moral value: 4
- Literary value: 4
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