Half a Chance

December 9, 2013
Lucy Emery has a passion for taking pictures, just like her photographer father. Unlike him, the 12-year-old doesn’t crave living in new places “the way other people crave staying put.” Now he’s moved Lucy and her mother from Massachusetts to a lakeside cottage in New Hampshire, and even before the family has settled, he’s off again on another assignment. Lonesome and eager to prove her skill with a camera, Lucy enters a photography contest that will be judged by her father. The shots she takes of her new environment eloquently track her most significant events over the summer, which include keeping endangered loons safe from harm, finding a friend in next-door neighbor Nate, and sharing his sadness over his grandmother’s slipping memory. Filled with moments of discovery, wonder, and sorrow, Lord’s story captures Lucy’s artistic sensibility and photographer’s eye, as well as her compassion for both animals and people. Through Lucy’s thoughts and actions, Lord (Rules) elegantly conveys how complex stories can be told through moments frozen in time. Ages 8–12. Agent: Tracey Adams, Adams Literary.

August 1, 2014

Gr 4-8-Lucy's father is a photographer and often away. She and her mother are left to set up their new home on a lake where she is befriended by Nate and his grandmother who help her become familiar with lake life. Through it all, Lucy uses own photographic talents to frame the world in which she lives, seeking unique perspectives and the contrasts. When Lucy discovers her father will be judging a photography contest, she decides to enter without his knowledge, having much to prove to him and herself. Still, as she peers through her lens she gains an unexpected insight. In this tender, evocative book listeners learn about beginnings, endings, and catching that perfect moment in time. Maria Cabezas performs the first-person narrative in a youthful voice, drawing listeners in and making every word count. This is an exceptional presentation that leaves kids feeling enclosed in one of those perfect moments Lucy seeks.-Teresa Bateman, Brigadoon Elementary, Federal Way, WA

Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.