Eat, Read, and Be Mommy

First item? My kids are out of school tomorrow–end of term–so I’m taking the weekend off for some family time. This is it until Monday!

Second item? I finished listening to Cynthia Lord’s A Handful of Stars last night, and I very much enjoyed it. Granted, that’s not a surprise–it takes place in eastern Maine–but the story felt unexpected in a consistently positive way. It’s told from the point of view of Lily, who is being raised by her grandparents; she is hoping to save up the money to pay for an operation for her blind dog. That blind dog is the catalyst for her friendship with Salma, in Maine with her family for the blueberry-picking season. Migrant workers and town natives don’t usually mix, but Lily and Salma create something new together. Because of their friendship, Salma decides to compete in the Blueberry Queen pageant, and the outcome is both realistic and surprising; instead of swelling drama, this is a thoughtful book about people, the different pieces of their personalities, and the struggle between old ideas and new ones. I highly recommend this one.