Bekka @ Des Moines Library
The Boy on Cinnamon Street by Phoebe Stone
From the outside, Louise's life seems perfectly fine and it may even look as though she has a very charmed life. She is a well-liked, petite middle school girl who recently discovered that she even has a secret admirer! She lives with her grandparents who give her unconditional love. She yearns, however, for the good ol' days on Cinnamon Street where she used to live with her parents. She's settling into a new routine but she's making some drastic changes too. There are certain parts of her life that she never wants to revisit such as being a gymnast and a poet. She even wants to change her name to Thumbelina. Many adolescents seek out new identities but there's something more to Louise's intentions. Louise slowly starts to reveal and come to terms with the family secret that devastated and changed her world forever.
Phoebe Stone needs to talk to the book publisher and discuss book covers. Similar to Stone's The Romeo and Juliet Code, readers will be surprised at the type of book that they picked up. This is definitely not a simple, lighthearted read about a middle school crush. Louise is a complex, vulnerable tween who is trying to cope with issues that no one, especially not a young girl, should ever have to deal with by herself. You'll need a box of tissues in order to get through this novel. I haven't read a book that will tug on one's heartstrings for awhile. Make sure that you read the author's note as it will give you more insight into the fictional story.
Rating: 4.0 out of 5.0
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