(2) 4-6 Illustrated by Leslie Bowman. During the summer of 1960, Nick nurtures a young mockingbird he names Marcy; soon, Marcy is following Nick around town. Later, while Nick and his mom are away on vacation, the bird claims its freedom. These story-structuring events are embedded in quiet, homely description, vivid with sensory detail. The writing is deft, and the bird lore authentic. A note on mockingbirds is included.

Reviewer: Joanna Rudge Long | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2006

(4) 1-3 Illustrated by Leslie Bowman & Leslie Bowman. Nine-year-old Meggie resents the time her mother puts in helping smelly Old Sam, a needy former mental hospital patient who showed up at church one day and stayed. While Buchanan rarely lets up on her heavy-handed message about empathy, Meggie's frustration with her mother and her guilt about her own feelings toward Sam are realistically depicted.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn