Lucy Unstrung

November 1, 2010

Gr 6-8-Lucy's mother, who got pregnant with Lucy at 14 by a Swedish ski instructor, is immature and forsakes her husband (not the ski instructor) and daughter to spend a lot of time with her single girlfriend from Pilates class. Thirteen-year-old Lucy is a precocious child who quotes her grandmother nonstop, which aggravates her mother. Lucy's stepfather is more grounded, but can't, or won't, interfere with his wife's wishes to have a different life. They separate and due to a shortage of money, Lucy and her mom move from their upscale home to a trailer park. Lucy must leave her Catholic school to attend a nearby public one where she is bullied by a girl from the park. The only bright spot in her life is the small dog, also named Lucy, that she is taking care of temporarily. Told from the teen's viewpoint, the story has overriding themes of life as a Catholic and parental separation as there is a great deal of description of how both her religion and her parents' troubles affect her life. The characters are more caricatures than real people, and the quick adjustment to the less-affluent lifestyle by both Lucy and her mother is never explained. The one aspect of the book that seems genuine is Lucy's unhappiness about being separated from her best friend. The novel does not come together at the end and leaves a lot of loose ends.-Nancy P. Reeder, Heathwood Hall Episcopal School, Columbia, SC

Copyright 2010 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 15, 2010
Grades 6-8 Lucys mother, Kate, had her at age 14. Now Kates 28, and she is restless. Lucy loves her stepfather and the familys beautifully decorated house near her school and grandparents. So when Kate tells her she is moving out, Lucy is horrified. This begins a familiar story of a young teen trying to make sense of her life when her parents have their own agendas. What makes Lazars debut different are the particulars: Lucys Catholicism, the testy relationship between Kate and her own mother, and the nicely realized Vancouver setting. Lucys voice has an understated wittiness, as do her efforts to circumvent her parents plans. What is lacking is the normal anger a kid would feel at all this upheaval, especially when Lucys new house is a trailer miles away from all she knows. Theres a mildness to this that gets somewhat tedious, but fortunately, the characterizations are strong enough to keep readers engaged. Theyll want to find out what happens not just to Lucy but to her parents, too.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2010, American Library Association.)