by Andrea Beatty
ages: 10+
First sentence: “Some people think the cicadas bring trouble when they come to town.”
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Review copy provided by the publisher for the Cybils (2008, I think.)

Lily is invisible. Not really, but she’s as good as: she never talks, she never looks people in the eye. She’s been shuffled off to the side in the two years since her brother Pete’s accident, which Lily feels responsible for. She’s been carrying around the guilt and as a result, has all but shut down. On the other hand, she is a grand observer, and when a new girl, Tinny, comes to town, Lily observes some pretty strange things about her. This creates a mystery, and it’s up to Lily, the silent observer, to figure everything out.

I remember throwing this one at C about a year ago, and she loved it. So much that she asked me to read it so she could talk to someone about it. (Bad mom moment. Sorry.) I agree: it’s a good, solid novel for a 10 year old girl. It’s got mystery and a little bit of suspense, and nothing is too heavy-handed (even though there is Death and Grief), which is a relief. (I do get tired of heavy handed Death and Grief books.) The resolution is nice, and Lily’s an interesting character to get to know. On top of that, it’s a summer book: sunshine, heat, water, small town. And Beatty knows how to go for mood; you can feel the summer radiating from this slim book.

A good, quick read.