School Library Journal
Gr 4-6-- Rachel's father has left the family in order to look for work, and her mother works long hours as a waitress in order to make ends meet. School is difficult because of the snob squad who look down on her. When she and a new boy in the neighborhood become good friends, Rachel's life brightens. Together they begin to uncover a mystery that involves an elderly woman who has Alzheimer's Disease. The children's reaction to the woman is wonderful: loving, nurturing, helpful; typically, perhaps, for children who are essentially lonely, they treat her like a pet until they realize they cannot take care of her alone and return her to her sister's care. The story is believable because the children always act like children and react to appropriate motivations: the need for friends, excitement, and something to take care of. --Janet E. Gelfand, Lawrence Junior High School, NY
Genre: Children's Fiction
Gr 4-6-- Rachel's father has left the family in order to look for work, and her mother works long hours as a waitress in order to make ends meet. School is difficult because of the snob squad who look down on her. When she and a new boy in the neighborhood become good friends, Rachel's life brightens. Together they begin to uncover a mystery that involves an elderly woman who has Alzheimer's Disease. The children's reaction to the woman is wonderful: loving, nurturing, helpful; typically, perhaps, for children who are essentially lonely, they treat her like a pet until they realize they cannot take care of her alone and return her to her sister's care. The story is believable because the children always act like children and react to appropriate motivations: the need for friends, excitement, and something to take care of. --Janet E. Gelfand, Lawrence Junior High School, NY
Genre: Children's Fiction
Used availability for Sherry Shahan's There's Something in There