Review by Booklist Review
Lola's family has two members: herself and her mother. But now that Momma is sick, two seems like a fragile number to Lola. It's not that they're socially isolated: while Mom's having radiation treatments, Lola stays with Ms. Archambault, a grandmotherly neighbor. And no one could ask for better friends than Nick and Kiana, whose parents love Lola like a daughter. Still, she doesn't know her father, who returned to Australia before she was born. With help from Kiana, she tries to contact him. Meanwhile, after overhearing a conversation between a disliked classmate and her disagreeable mother, Lola gains new insight into the girl's problems and suddenly sees her own family in a new, more expansive way. Set in North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, the story portrays Lola as a strong, grounded character who might be temporarily shaken by fears or unhappiness but finds her equilibrium with the help of her extended, intergenerational network of friends. Her involving first-person narrative reveals insecurities known to many young readers and offers insights into the meaning of family.--Carolyn Phelan Copyright 2010 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
It's always been Lola and her mother in their Myrtle Beach, S.C., mobile home; her Australian father was deported before she was born and stopped calling when she was three. But now that fifth grade has started and her mom is extra tired all the time, Lola is beginning to wonder about that absent dad. Her best friend Kiana, who wants to be a detective, offers to find his contact information, and a class project on inventing an alternative life ("imagine who you might be if your life had taken a different turn"), inspiring Lola to imagine a life with him, and to get in touch. But as they search, Lola uncovers truths she did not expect about her mother, as well as class bully Mallory and, most of all, herself. John (Mascot) brings the protagonist's hometown to life with an array of well-developed secondary characters, including neighbor Ms. Archambault, who looks after Lola when her mother is at work, and Jayda, the local children's librarian. Lola discovers the power of using her voice and, with the help of her community and friends, learns that family is the people who are there no matter what. Ages 8--12. (Oct.)
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by Kirkus Book Review
An amiable fifth grader's school assignment leads her to seek out the father she's never known.Lola and her single mom occupy a mobile home in North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, owned by elderly neighbor and friend Ms. Archambault. All Lola knows about her Australian dad is his name and that, having overstayed his tourist visa, he was deported before her birth. Momma's uncomfortable talking about him and, lately, too tired to do much beyond her evening restaurant job. Lola's friends include classmates Kiana, her BFF, and friendly Nick (but not unfriendly, universally disliked Mallory). Tiffany, 5, whom Lola reads to on the school bus; Ms. A, who cares for Lola after school; Kiana's parents; and Nick's sister, Kat, are Lola fans, too. A class assignmentto imagine who they'd be under different life circumstancesreminds Lola how little she knows of her own history, prompting her to attempt connecting with her father. Kiana, Nick, and Kat are happy to help, but Lola avoids telling Momma, now sidelined by a serious illness. The characters are well drawn and believable, although John avoids naming race or even physical descriptions, reinforcing a white default reading. Cheerful Lola's refreshing: a well-liked, kind, sensible kid with a droll take on the world. If the ending feels pat, the resolution too easily achieved, the scattered subplots involving class, entitlement, and autonomy leave readers something meatier to ponder.Comfortably low-key, character-driven entertainment. (Fiction. 8-12) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
