Finding Grace (Gutsy Girl Series)

by Becky Citra

Overview

Growing up in the ‘50s with a single mother and no father, Hope is a loner with a wonderful imagination. The letters she writes to her imaginary friend, Grace, help her cope with the difficult times in her life - her mother's sad days, their money worries, the pressures of not fitting in. On her eleventh birthday, Hope is shocked to learn that Grace is real. Hope decides that by finding Grace, their family will be healed. But, like most adventures, things do not go exactly as she hopes.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781927583265
Publisher:	Second Story Press
Publication date:	03/15/2014
Series:	Gutsy Girl Series , #3
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	176
Lexile:	630L (what's this?)
File size:	3 MB
Age Range:	9 - 12 Years

About the Author

Becky Citra is the author of 23 award-winning books for children and teens, including Rachel Bird, winner of the The Whippoorwill Award. A retired school teacher, she enjoys connecting with children through library and school visits. She lives on a ranch in British Columbia and spends the winters on Saltspring Island. 

Editorial Reviews

"Finding Grace is a quick and engaging read that draws the reader in with its authentic voice of a ten-year-old girl.... A great summertime read that deals with serious life issues in a refreshing manner."

Resource Links - Stephanie Johnson

"Citra successfully tells a very focused, plot-driven story... Middle-grade readers will find Hope's letters and era-appropriate expressions quite endearing."

Quill & Quire - Melanie J. Fishbane

"Finding Grace is an enjoyable and positive read for middle grade girls."

Penny Draper

"Becky Citra has written a thoroughly enjoyable first entry to the 'Gutsy Girl' series. Hope is a plucky, clever, protagonist that young girls will find inspiring."

CM Magazine - Chris Laurie

"A quick and engaging read that draws the reader in with its authentic voice of a ten-year-old girl. The emotion Hope exhibits is very sincere, and while it is childlike and suiting of her age, she nevertheless
exudes a maturity that makes the story an interesting read for all ages...So many children’s books conclude with a stereotypical, happy ending that would likely never occur in real life, but Citra manages to create an ending that is at once both realistic and happy. Altogether a great summertime read that deals with serious life issues in a refreshing manner."

Resource Links

2014-01-29
Hope didn't even know that Grace was missing—she thought the girl to whom she's secretly written for years was imaginary. Besides Grace, whom else could the friendless Hope talk to? Her apparently depressed, unemployed mother, Flora, mostly stays in bed, and her Granny is a bit crusty. The full dimensions of her mother's situation gradually emerge: Flora never really knew Hope's father, and worse, she gave up Hope's twin, Grace, for adoption after the 2-year-old developed polio. Then Granny dies, leaving their sad situation even more uncertain, so Hope does what a resourceful girl can: She embarks on a plan to find Grace and heal her mother's pain. Though the story is set in 1954, there is disappointingly little period flavor. Hope's childlike voice and some of her letters capture the 11-year-old's pain and frustration but often fail to fully convey the necessary distress, leaving readers to fill in the many blanks. She reports her mother's shortcomings, but her sometimes-blithe pluck in this undermines the tension. (The story kicks off the Gutsy Girl series, perhaps accounting for Hope's attitude.) Given Flora's unfortunate history with men, her maturing relationship with Mr. Pinn, a lawyer whose role ensures a feel-good conclusion, seems improbable. Citra wraps it all up too neatly and sweetly for full believability. Dysfunctional-mother fiction is a crowded genre; this one lacks sufficient punch to distinguish itself. (Historical fiction. 10-13)

Kirkus Reviews