by Hilary McKay
ages: 10+
First sentence: “David tramped along the road to the Casson house trying not to think too far ahead.”

My brain feels much better. Thanks for asking.

This book takes place soon after Indigo’s Star — Tom has left for America, and Rose has been patiently waiting all summer for some word from him. And has gotten nothing. She waits, every day for the mail… and every day the postman passes her by. This little daily exchange spurs two events: Michael (Caddy’s beloved) pinching roses for Rose (in The Early Morning Rose Delivery Service: bringing roses to Roses) so she’s not left empty-handed; and Rose shoplifting. Oh, it begins innocently enough — rearranging displays in shops — but evolves into taking things out of stores and leaving them on the street, and eventually to bringing things all the way home. Thankfully, David (former bully of Indigo, trying to make a go at an actual friendship), has taken to coming around, and (since he is a reformed shoplifter) is able to (eventually) put Rose to rights.

And, because this is a Casson book, that’s not the entire plot. Eve is spending the summer painting murals at the hospital, because she’s too sad to paint in her shed. Caddy is avoiding Michael, because even though she loves him, she’s not sure she really really wants to marry him. And Saffy has decided that she’s going to search for her father (with Sarah’s help, of course), which leads to a Really Big Revelation (that is a tad bit soap-operaish, but forgivable) in the end. Bill, as always, is a cad, living in London with his Really Nice Girlfriend, Samantha (which begs the question: why is it that the Really Nice Girls are always attracted to cads?)

I didn’t enjoy this one as much as I did the other two (I’m not counting Forever Rose, since I read the last one first…), but that’s not saying that it’s not fabulous or wonderful. It is. It’s just not as fabulous or wonderful as Saffy’s Angel or Indigo’s Star. Then again, if this is the series’ low point (and every series has to have one), I’ll take it. It’s still quite funny, and charming, and delightful, and lovely… it’s just darker and tends in a soap opera direction at the end that I think is a bit more disturbing for me than it probably should be. (Bill really is a cad.)

But, I’ll leave you on a happy note, with the one quote that had me rolling. Indigo and Rose have been reading Le Morte d’Arthur, and Rose is asking Caddy, who’s cleaning out guinea pig cages, about Sir Lancelot:

“He went on quests,” [Caddy] said. “They all did. Questing all the time.”

“What are quests?”

“Dares. Or big searches for stuff. Right now I’m questing for my old address book. Tell me if you see it, Rosey Pose.”

“What, in there?” asked Rose, looking in disgust at the stuff Caddy was shoveling into a bucket.

“No, of course not in here!” said Caddy, laughing. “And don’t pull faces like that! It’s only poo! You have to get used to poo! Even gorgeous Lancelot pooed!”

“No he didn’t!”

“Of course he did… Gallop through the forest… stop for a poo… bash off someone’s helm, rescue a maiden… stop for a poo… Everyone does it. Unless they’re dead.”

“Well, he’s dead!” said Rose, triumphantly producing the only fact she knew for sure about Sir Lancelot.

There you have it: pure, unadulterated Casson. Isn’t it lovely.? (Even if the book isn’t quite as lovely as I had wanted it to be.)