Book of the Week #34

Tracing Stars by Erin E. Moulton (NY: Philomel Books, 2012)

 

Beginning on the last day of the 5th grade in a New England fishing village, this is the second novel of New Hampshire author Erin E. Moulton. 

 

"Indie Lee Chickory is the fish freak of Plumtown.  She's an expert at making fish faces and has a pet, The Lobster Monty Cola, who lives in a salt-water pool outside her bedroom window. But while she likes fish very much, not everyone else does, which makes finding friends a little difficult. Sure there’s her older sister, Bebe, but she has other friends—and also has a starring role in the upcoming town musical, which has made her pretty popular. So when Indie accidentally brings Monty to school, to disastrous results, Bebe almost dies of embarrassment and Indie is left without anyone.  No friends, no sister, and no lobster.

One night, Indie wishes on her favorite star.  She wants to find the lobster Monty Cola and to be a better Chickory so that Bebe will like her again. But finding Monty and being a better Chickory is an all day and all night job. During the day, Indie works at the theater, showing Bebe and her friends how much she can fit in with their crew. And at night, she searches for her lost lobster by building a fishing boat up in a tree with Owen Stone, who works in the props shop. Everything seems to be going well—until Bebe and her gang make it clear that being friends with Owen is a ticket straight to loserville.

Can Indie keep her friendship with Owen a secret? And will doing so make her a better Chickory—or a worse one?" --Publisher's blurb