Newbery Honor Winner!

Newbery Honor Book!

Newbery Honor Book!

Martha didn't know Olive, but her classmate died in an accident and Olive's mother brought Martha a page from her daughter's journal, in which she described Martha as nice, someone she wanted for a friend, and dreamed of seeing the ocean. Martha and her family are about to go to the ocean themselves, to visit with her grandmother, Godbee, and while she's there, she thinks about who she wants to be.

This is the sort of quiet book that is very hard to pin down what it's actually about - the summer Martha's twelve has all sorts of experiences for her as she finds her place in the world. Her family is realistic, with Martha and her mother sometimes having their tiffs, Martha and Godbee sharing secrets, and toddler Lucy being, well, a toddler. Chapters are very short, only a couple of pages each, and keep the story moving quickly. Recommended for fans of The Penderwicks. ( )

The author and story originate in Madison, Wisconsin. A 12-year-old girl, after the death of a classmate, seeks more information about both their lives.