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YA
Shy fourteen-year-old Finn has a peaceful summer planned--until twenty-something grad student Johanna moves in next door. Johanna, who's going through chemo for breast cancer, asks Finn to help her create a garden; she also sends him anonymous notes delivered by his dog. Paulsen effectively mixes sorrow and humor, with Finn's gardening mishaps lightening the mood. The novel's conclusion is triumphant and touching.
Reviewer: Susan Dove Lempke
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
September, 2009