Monday, March 7, 2016

Paris for Two by Phoebe Stone - OPTIONAL


Stone, Phoebe Paris for Two, 272 pgs. Scholastic (Arthur A. Levine), 2016. $16.99. Language: G ( 0 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: G; Violence:  G.   

12-year-old Petunia has a crush, but every time she tries to connect with the boy, something terrible happens, until the boy’s mom calls her a stalker and threatens to get her suspended from school.  But then, Petunia’s family moves to Paris while her father studies the novel Madame Bovary.  Her older sister Ava seems to feel right at home in Paris, making a friend (a boyfriend!) right away and seeming to fit in everywhere she goes.  Her mother obviously favors Ava.  But when Pet finds a secret drawer in the armoire in her room, it opens up a mystery and she starts making friends in Paris!  

There is a lot going on in this middle level book.  Sibling rivalry, a crush gone bad, looking out for yourself, learning a foreign language, dealing with parents, even a 100 year old mystery, Nazis, a fashion show, and stealing things from your sister - it was too much for me. Many of these subplots built to nothing or resolved themselves suddenly and perfectly.  I’m not sure where the author was going.  

EL, MS - OPTIONAL  Lisa Librarian  

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