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LaFleur, Suzanne
6 Reviews
(3)
4-6
In this well-paced story, sixth grader Cassie feels "invisible" after her family's attention turns to her teenage sister, Julia, and her baby. No one cares about Cassie's grades or that her friendships are changing; no one comes to her swim meets. Frustrated, she heads off on a road trip with Julia and baby Addie, which gives sympathetic protagonist Cassie the courage to assert herself.
Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano
(3)
4-6
In this sequel to Beautiful Blue World, Mathilde escapes enemy-occupied Sofarende and is reunited with her group--fellow exceptional children recruited to do intelligence work. LaFleur relates Mathilde's experiences with empathy and honesty as the twelve-year-old struggles to repair an important friendship, copes with conflicting feelings about her war work, and eventually searches for her displaced family. The conclusion is realistically hopeful.
Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano
(4)
4-6
In an alternate war-torn universe, twelve-year-old Mathilde takes a test to qualify for a secret (seemingly sinister) military operation, which necessitates leaving her family and best friend, perhaps forever. She unexpectedly passes and is sent to an idyllic Bletchley Park–like organization for brainy kids. The plot unfolds clumsily, but Mathilde's struggles and her sympathetic personality carry readers through to a cliffhanger ending.
Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano
(3)
4-6
Siena never understood her visions of the past or her obsession with collecting found objects--that is, until one of those objects connects her to the WWII-era siblings Sarah and Joshua. Siena's intervention across time helps her unlock the secret to her own brother Lucca's muteness. Set in coastal Maine, the atmospheric, magic-infused, time-bending narrative conveys the strength of the sibling bond.
Reviewer: Andrea Curtis
(3)
4-6
Sixth grade isn't going well for Elise. She's behind on assignments, people tease her, and she has hurt her only friend's feelings. When she finds a key with her name on it--and the secret door it opens--Elise discovers a message from her deceased father. Seven keys and seven unlocked rooms later, Elise is equipped to improve her relationships in this emotional, heartfelt story.
Reviewer: Sophie Williamson
(3)
4-6
Having survived a car crash that claimed her father's and sister's lives, eleven-year-old Aubrey faces many challenges, compounded when her mother abandons her. Fortunately Aubrey is taken in by her grandmother, a no-nonsense New Englander, who connects Aubrey with her extended family and neighbors in order to remind her how to love. A heartwarming story of resiliency, hope, and friendship.
Reviewer: Lauren Maggio
6 reviews
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