Read more
Deaf sixth-grader Macy struggles with resentment as her mother sells their house and prepares to add a stepfather and twin stepsisters to their family. Helping an elderly neighbor who is also preparing to move turns from a chore to an escape as Iris finds ways to communicate with Macy and shares stories that inspire the girl to look at life in new ways.
About the author
Shari Green spent a large portion of her childhood summers reading stacks of library books, and she's still in love with stories today. Her novels for middle-grade readers include Root Beer Candy and Other Miracles, Missing Mike, and the multi-award-winning Macy McMillan and the Rainbow Goddess. Shari lives in Campbell River, British Columbia.
Summary
Winner of the 2018 ALA Schneider Family Book Award, Middle Grade Books category
Sixth grade is coming to an end, and so is life as Macy McMillan knows it. Already a "For Sale" sign mars the front lawn of her beloved house. Soon her mother will upend their perfect little family, adding a stepfather and six-year-old twin stepsisters. To add insult to injury, what is Macy's final sixth grade assignment? A genealogy project. Well, she'll put it off - just like those wedding centerpieces she's supposed to be making.
Just when Macy's mother ought to be understanding, she sends Macy next door to help eighty six-year-old Iris Gillan, who is also getting ready to move - in her case into an assisted living facility. Iris can't pack a single box on her own and, worse, she doesn't know sign language. How is Macy supposed to understand her? But Iris has stories to tell, and she isn't going to let Macy's deafness stop her. Soon, through notes and books and cookies, a friendship grows. And this friendship, odd and unexpected, may be just what Macy needs to face the changes in her life.
Shari Green, author of Root Beer Candy and Other Miracles, writes this summer story with the lightest touch, spinning Macy out of her old story and into a new one full of warmth and promise for the future.
Foreword
- 5,000-copy print run
- Pitch to major review media, including The New York Times, The Horn Book Magazine, Kirkus Reviews, Booklist, Publishers Weekly, and School Library Journal
- Featured at select library conferences
- Targeted marketing to major review centers, influential bloggers, and major library system selectors
- Classroom guide for educators
- Promotion on social media, including Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest
- E-newsletter promotion
