I absolutely loved this one! Lord's writing is so good- it doesn't get long and complicated but each little phrase is carefully constructed so that itI absolutely loved this one! Lord's writing is so good- it doesn't get long and complicated but each little phrase is carefully constructed so that it has the essence of poetry without being overwhelming. I suspect that this book will get a lot of attention. It includes some great characters and touches on some good interpersonal conflicts like aging, dementia, absent parents, and peer relationships without feeling sodden and preachy. The content on art, photography, and art appreciation will make this a shoe-in for interdisciplinary, creative projects (assuming schools still have time to teach art these days). The best part may be that Lord doesn't need hundred's of pages to work the book out. Instead it's carefully crafted into short chapters that align with the photography contest categories. I love that without actually featuring any visual art, the book opens itself to art and artistic possibility, something that may have been hampered by actually including examples. Nice work, Cynthia Lord!
On a personal note, I won a copy of this by having the same name as one of her characters at a fantastic panel on art and literature that Lord participated in at NCTE 2015. Unfortunately I lacked the presence of mind in my excitement to ask her to sign it!...more
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