Monday, April 30, 2018

The Heart and Mind of Frances Pauley by April Stevens - OPTIONAL

Stevens, April The Heart and Mind of Frances Pauley, 196 pages. Schwartz and Wade Books (Random House), 2018. Content: Language: G; Mature Content: PG; Violence: G.  

Frances Pauley is an eleven year old who is quirky and loves nature.  Frances’ teenage sister, Christina is embarrassed by Frances.  Christina is going through an emotional roller coaster as a teen, with friend problems and she likes a boy.  Christina’s behavior confuses Frances and Frances has her own hardships to deal with.  This book is about family, friendship and being true to yourself.  

This is a coming of age novel that paints some of the painful truths about what it means to be the family member of an angst-y teen.  There were some heartwarming moments and Frances is a likable character, but she’s not necessarily easy to relate to.  It's a slow read and I'm unsure if many young readers will get into this book and it feels too young for the middle school crowd.  

EL – OPTIONAL.  Reviewer, C. Peterson.

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