Lucy Castor Finds Her Sparkle

December 1, 2017
Lucy Castor does not like change, but the weekend before she enters fourth grade her world begins to change anyway. How will Lucy cope?After spending the summer away, Lucy comes home to find her best friend, Ella, has new friends, and they no longer have anything in common. Her teenage neighbor, Chloe, makes her nervous with her piercings and vibrantly colored hair. And worst of all, Lucy's mother is expecting twins. Featuring an all-white cast of characters, the story takes place in the small fictional town of Hawthorne, Massachusetts. As the household routines change to accommodate for Mrs. Castor's difficult pregnancy, Lucy must learn to deal with her anger and anxiety. Though giving up on her friendship with Ella hurts, she also learns to make new friends. And when Chloe comes to work in her house, she learns there is more to a person than appearances. Though the ending is predictable, it is Lucy's journey toward that end that will keep readers engaged. There is a certain quaint quality to the story, starting with the niceness of all the characters and including some Briticisms here and there--high school teacher Mr. Castor doesn't grade, he "marks"; the babies wear "nappies"--yet the story manages to avoid saccharine sweetness. A quietly reassuring story showing that change can be a good thing at times. (Fiction. 8-10)

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February 1, 2018

Gr 3-5-It's the summer before fourth grade, and Lucy is encountering unwelcome changes. Her former best friend has stopped believing in magic and become a "Sparkle Girl," hanging out with a new group of girls; her grumpy neighbor has put up a sun-blocking fence; and, worst of all, her mom has announced that she's pregnant-with twins. But with the help of her supportive parents, a new friend at school, and a teenage neighbor, Lucy learns to embrace change as its own kind of magic. A few scattered Briticisms and an overall nostalgic tone make this a cozy, if predictable, read. VERDICT Lucy's character seems young for her age, but this quiet, almost timeless tale may appeal to young readers who are similarly resistant to growing up.-Laurie Slagenwhite Walters, Brighton District Library, Brighton, MI

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