Synopses & Reviews
I jingled the car keys, tossed them up and caught them, ran my finger over the bumpy silver chain. Theres something about having car keys in your hand. All you have to do is slip the key into the ignition, turn it, and youre in charge. Speed, direction, final destination—you get to decide. But you have to be sixteen. Almost thirteen doesnt cut it.
So I couldnt start the car, but I could blow the horn. I did—loud and angry. Mom stuck her head out the front door. "Vicki back?" she asked.
"No, she isnt. And neither is Josh. Whats with this family? We were supposed to leave an hour ago."
"A half hour. Theyll be here. Is the car all packed?"
She was trying to change the subject, so I ignored the question. "Why dont we call Josh home, and as soon as he gets here, we all wait in the car? Then when Vicki gets dropped off, we can just start up and leave." Okay, so that was a dumb suggestion, but she could have answered me. Instead she gave me the Look—I think the Look is the first thing teachers learn in college—and
went back in. Grumbling to myself, I opened the car door and slid into the drivers seat. I sat there with my eyes closed, imagining I was in one of those new passenger vans instead of our 69 wagon. I shouldnt have had to imagine.
Dad always said a cars got only five good years, and then you should trade it in. So, 69 to 74—thats five years, right? But Dad was gone. Long gone. No Dad, no new car. On Valentines Day—hows that for timing?—hed kissed Mom and the girls good-bye, hugged Josh and me, and said he hoped hed be back soon. He had to "think things out." Well, he could think all he wanted. He could stay away forever, as far as I was concerned.
Synopsis
For as far back as Kyle can remember, he spent summers at Grandma's cottage on the lake-fishing all day, and hanging out with the whole family. But this year is different. His father has moved out, his grandmother has died and his mother is selling the cottage because they can't afford the up-keep.
Synopsis
For Kyle, summers mean the lake, but things have changed. Grandma has died, and Dad has moved out. And now Mom says they'll have to sell the cottage. Author Derby takes readers to a small lake in 1970s Michigan, where 13-year-old Kyle struggles to understand how little he really knows about other people--especially the ones he loves most.
Synopsis
Kyle is willing to do anything--even take Tom, who's grossly obese--fishing on the lake just to earn money to help with cabin payments so his family doesn't have to give it up. This summer may be the last at the lake, and Kyle struggles to understand the changes in the people in his life.
About the Author
Sally Derby is the author of many books for children, including NO MUSH TODAY (Lee & Low) and THE WACKY SUBSTITUTE (Marshall Cavendish). She lives in Cincinnati, Ohio.