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Gordon, Amy
7 Reviews
(4)
4-6
Thirteen-year-old cousins Holly and Ivy narrate this novel set in 1965 at their family's annual reunion at Otter Lake. The constant fighting among their relatives this summer seems to involve a secret surrounding their uncle's long-ago accidental death and a Japanese American boy. The girls find photos, letters, and a diary--all a bit too conveniently--but the mystery is engrossing nonetheless.
Reviewer: Jennifer M. Brabander
(4)
4-6
Cully Pennyacre's father has disappeared mysteriously, leaving the twelve-year-old in the care of his maiden aunts. When Cully takes a position at a local antique store for the summer, he discovers some shadowy business in which the owner and his father are involved. The ending is hasty, but this intriguing fantasy will interest readers.
Reviewer: Juliet S. King
(4)
4-6
Twelve-year-old Aiden isn't thrilled with life in big-city Gloria, where she and her mother now live after Aiden's father's death. A treasure hunt for valuable coins could be Aiden's ticket back to her beloved farm. Gordon's novel is overcrowded with quirky characters (an elevator-operating clan, a gorilla-costumed baseball team, a mouse being trained to talk...), but it's fast-paced and entertaining.
Reviewer: Tanya D. Auger
(3)
4-6
Illustrated by
Adam Gustavson.
Deli owners Sam and Belle, who long for a child, are granted their wish by enchantress Silvia. The child, Arietta, has the gift of seeing individuals' true hearts, which makes Silvia's estranged brother want to keep her for his own. Plot lines that combine the everyday and the magical tell an enchanting story.
Reviewer: Susan Halperin
(2)
4-6
Lydia is heart-sore over her parents' divorce and her grandmother's death. Her "secret life" consists of sneaking around her boarding school after hours and making friends with the night watchman, Howie, who presents her with an intriguing challenge. Gordon tells Lydia's story in diary form, giving her a lively voice and keen observations.
Reviewer: Susan Dove Lempke
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
July, 2004
(3)
4-6
While spending the summer with his aunt, Willy Wilson becomes involved with a unique group of characters whose lives intersect at the local park. Unfortunately, the park's existence is threatened when the owner is manipulated by his oily attorney. Though the park issue is resolved two-thirds into the book, Gordon's likable characters, warm storytelling, and humor keep the reader's interest.
Reviewer: Mark Adam
(1)
YA
In February of 1963, Georgia adopts John F. Kennedy as her father, preferring an imaginary but warm relationship with him to the emotional void of her own parents. Her account of her virtual abandonment at school by her parents and her barely conscious search for a home is both poignant and gently funny. The novel is well paced and is peopled with interesting characters, who are vividly revealed in Georgia's refreshing narrative.
Reviewer: Lauren Adams
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
July, 1999
7 reviews
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