Her Blue Straw Hat [Hardcover]

C. S. Adler (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 8 and up | Grade Level: 3 and up

Rachel realized how much she loves her stepfather, Ben, last summer when he bought her that wide-brimmed blue straw hat. Her mom thought the hat was too expensive, but Ben insisted because the color matched Rachel’s eyes. Now Rachel is looking forward to a few quiet weeks at the beach again, but suddenly she learns she’ll be sharing her room with Tina, Ben’s biological daughter, who will join them this summer. No one can anticipate the upheaval Tina will cause, especially when she arrives with her mother’s boyfriend’s son in tow.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 5-7. Rachel, 12, has finally come to love and respect her stepfather, Ben, even if her relationship with her mother, MJ, is sometimes lacking. MJ doesn't understand that Rachel enjoys being alone to read, swim, and think during their annual vacation at a beachside cabin. This year, Rachel is in for a few surprises. First, Ben's daughter, Tina, has been invited (dumped, actually, by her mother, who is off to California for some massage classes). Tina is audacious and abrasive, and rubs everyone the wrong way. Even more disturbing is that Carlos, Tina's mother's boyfriend's son, has also been dumped, but without warning. Everyone walks on eggshells: Carlos tries not to be a burden, Tina tries too hard for attention, MJ and Ben each try to understand their own daughters, and Rachel tries to defend her place in her parents' hearts. In a five-way tug-of-war for affection and respect, emotions are bombarded, many are ruptured, and Rachel gets a feeling for the give-and-take in relationships, and for how to make room in your world for people you sometimes wish weren't there. Although Rachel and Tina seem almost too opposite and narrow-minded, all five characters come to life in this simply plotted novel. The antagonisms and reconciliations drive the story, not quite seamlessly, but compellingly, and set a pace that leaves room for a few heartfelt insights that ring true.?Nina Lindsay, Vista School, Albany, CA
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About the Author

C. S. Adler is the author of many novels for young readers, including the recent One Unhappy Horse and Winning. She lives on Cape Cod and in Arizona. 

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Hardcover: 112 pages
• Publisher: Harcourt Children's Books; 1st edition (August 1, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0152014667
• ISBN-13: 978-0152014667
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.5 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,644,947 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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