(Image from Barnes & Noble)

As if watching her mom waste away from the effects of cancer wasn't awful enough, 10-year-old Lemonade "Lem" Witt is now being forced to leave the only home she's ever known.  She's already lost her mother, does she really have to give up San Francisco, with all its beauty, bustle, and memories?  Apparently so.  Lem's being sent to live with her maternal grandfather—a man she's never met—way up in northern California.  Good thing she's not planning to stay in tiny, leafy Willow Creek.  The minute another guardian is found for her, Lem will be heading right back to the City by the Bay.

When Lem meets Tobin Sky, her grandfather's 10-year-old neighbor, she's even more convinced that she's landed on an alien planet.  Obsessed with Bigfoot, the boy can talk of little else.  When Tobin "hires" her to be his assistant at Bigfoot Detectives Inc, Lem reluctantly goes along with it.  After all, Podunkville offers very little in the way of scintillating entertainment.  As the duo traipses all over town in an attempt to catch the elusive creature on film, they form a bond that will change both of them.  Together, they learn some very important lessons about loss, love, family, and the life-altering power of a Twinkie offered in friendship.

Lemons, a debut novel by child and family therapist Melissa Savage, is a bright, enjoyable book that explores the idea of turning the sour experiences of life into something sweet.  All of the main characters have suffered in some way or another and every one of them must find a way to cope.  As Lem learns how to deal with her own grief, she helps others face their own demons.  This makes her a very empathetic heroine.  She's also funny, brave, and loyal, which means she's the perfect narrator for this engaging story.  The tale deals with tough subjects, yes, but its overall tone is hopeful and uplifting.  Its a fun adventure that will appeal to anyone looking for a sunny summer read about turning lemons into lemonade.  

(Readalikes: Um, I can't think of anything.  Can you?)

Grade:

 

If this were a movie, it would be rated:

 

for brief, mild violence and some mildly scary images

To the FTC, with love:  I received an ARC of Lemons from the generous folks at Crown Books for Young Readers.  Thank you!

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