It's the summer before seventh grade and Violet Raines' life is perfect. Her best friend, Lottie, lives next door and is practically a sister to her. Her other good friend, Eddie, is like a contentious brother. When a new girl moves to town, Violet's life changes and not for the better. Lottie befriends Melissa and wants the three girls to become friends. But Violet finds a lot of things about Melissa that she doesn't like and possibly can't overcome. Can Violet keep her friendships with Lottie and Eddie and maybe find something about Melissa to like? Read this delightful novel to find out how Violet Raines almost gets struck by lightning!
Two best friends become three, "Three the hard way", when D Foster comes into the lives of 11 year-old Neeka and her best friend. D has an independence that the two girls envy, and opens up their world with her experiences and her search for her Big Purpose. Within the short span of 1994-1996, the girls grow into teenagers, mourn the shootings and death of Tupac Shakur, and start thinking about what their own Big Purpose in life is. After Tupac and D Foster is by the Newbery Honor winner Jacqueline Woodson (Feathers).
If you like The Velveteen Rabbit, The Best Loved Doll, The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, or The Littles, you might like The Little Wooden Doll, too! An old, wooden doll living up in the attic of an old house is sad because she doesn't have a child to love her. Then one day, some children move into the old house. Will they find the doll? Will she be loved? Read how the spiders, moths, sparrows, and mice helped the wooden doll. This story was written a long time ago, but it is still a sweet story even today.
