Synopses & Reviews
Mary Franciss world is split in two when her father loses his job in California during the Great Depression and finds another one in Hardenville, Massachusetts. Unwilling to give up her dreams of a film career for her son, Leland, Mary Franciss mother refuses to leave their home in Beverly Hills. So, Mary Francis, her father, and grandmother go on to New England without them. Determined to keep an eye on the other half of her family, Mary Francis works on her gift,” the ability to have out-of-body” experiences. She hopes to get so good at it that shell be able to travel” to California to check on her mother and Leland. While Mary Francis practices her developing talent, her parents become more estranged, and she begins to fear theyll never all be living in the same place again.
Quirky but believable characters and a look at the early days of the movie industry send this story off in funny, poignant, and unexpected directions.
About the Author
Pat Lowery Collins lives in Gloucester, Massachusetts, where she writes, paints and illustrates full-time. She was born and raised in Hollywood and received her B.A. in English from the University of Southern California. She is an award winning poet and author, having written a number of young adult novels including The Fattening Hut (Houghton, 2003), Just Imagine (Houghton, 2001), and Signs and Wonders (Houghton, 1999), as well as the picture book Tomorrow, Up and Away (Houghton, 1990). To learn more about Pat Lowery Collins, visit her website at www.patlowerycollins.com.