Lost in Paris

March 1, 2015
Grades 4-8 Thirteen-year-old Gwen, who previously got lost in London (Lost in London, 2013), has the great good luck to explore Paris while her mom chaperones her three older brothers during a lacrosse tournament. Even better, she gets to spend time with Brigitte, a young woman Gwen's family met years earlier in the U.S. Brigitte runs a pet-sitting business, and as she carts young Gwen around the City of Light to pick up her various animal wards (a snake, a pig, birds, and dogs, among others), she becomes an informal tour guide. Meanwhile, Brigitte and Gwen follow clues that take them around the city in a contest to win tickets to see Gwen's favorite band. Several well-developed subplots provide additional texture to this French frolic and build backstory for some interesting characters, including an alienated band member, an obsessed fan, and the cute guy at the hotel where Gwen's family is staying. Though this fun romp won't necessarily challenge readers, it may nevertheless excite interest in some of the many Parisian locales Gwen visits.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)