No Strings Attached [Library Binding]

Kristi Holl (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 10 and up

June finds sharing a house with her mother and her foster grandfather requires a difficult adjustment to his forgetfulness and his crabby remarks to her junior high school friends, but she also loves him as a family member.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 5-7 In this sequel to Just Like a Real Family (Atheneum, 1983), now seventh-grader June Finch and her con valescing mother take a job as live-in caregivers to elderly Franklin Cooper. It seems like the answer to their pray ersinstant home, instant grandfather. June discovers, however, that living with Franklin's well-meaning but intru sive ways is difficult at times. With sup port from her mother and heavy doses of affection for Franklin, June begins to cope. But it is not until the week when she and Franklin are left on their own that she accepts, even somewhat cher ishes, the old man's nurturing presence in her life. No Strings Attached goes easy on charactersonly a handful throughoutand the three principals are well drawn and extremely likable mostly because of the way they interact with each other, roughly at times, but always with genuine concern. What the book unfortunately lacks is a climax. Readers are built up throughout, awaiting that event from which the turning point in June's ambivalence will come. As a result, the book rolls gently along and then ends. More exciting and per haps more tender treatments of child-grandparent relationships exist in Ma zer's Figure of Speech (Dell, 1986) and Byars' House of Wings (Viking, 1972), but this quietly-moving story merits a place in a middle school collection, es pecially one owning its predecessor. Joanne Aswell, Hunterdon County Library, Flemington, N.J.
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 10 and up
  
• Library Binding: 124 pages
• Publisher: Atheneum (April 1988)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0689313993
• ISBN-13: 978-0689313998
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.7 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #10,031,099 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Kristi Holl's first middle-grade novel was published by Atheneum (1983). To date, Kristi has sold 34 middle-grade books (29 fiction and 5 nonfiction) and Writer's First Aid, an adult book to help writers survive the writing life. (Eleven of her books are mysteries; her Haunting of Cabin 13 won the Maryland Children's Book Award.)

She loves being around other writers. Kristi is a frequent speaker at SCBWI conferences and taught at the Highlights Foundation Chautauqua writing workshop in 1998 and 2004. Kristi's Writer's First Aid blog has 40,000 subscribers. "I love keeping in touch with other writers this way," she says. "They encourage me every bit as much as I try to encourage them."

Kristi has three grown daughters and three perfect grandchildren. Iowa born and raised, Kristi moved to Texas in 2003 to be near her kids and grandkids. She and husband live in San Antonio. "I do miss the four seasons and the snow, and I still scream for help when I spot a rattlesnake or scorpion," she admits. "But I wouldn't miss being near my family for anything in the world. I started writing when my kids were babies and toddlers--now it's just come full circle."

With an elementary teaching degree and 25 years as an instructor of writing for children, Kristi's books have been nominated for numerous Children's Choice Awards.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3.0 out of 5 stars Alex, February 10, 2005

A Kid's Review

This review is from: No Strings Attached (Library Binding)

June Finch and her mother moved into Franklin Coopers house. June was excited about moving in. June and her mother think the six month "trial period" will be fun. when June was in sixth grade Franklin was at Reeds Retirement Ranch. While he was gone the house stood empty. June will ask him questions and tells her to try to except Franklins behavior. Junes mother tells her to try to except Franklins behavior, but June thinks it is unfair that she has to do the comprimising and giving in. She thinks her mother should do something to. It's not long before christmas and then a crisis occurs. This crisis helps June understand that she meeds to replace her vision at a good situation with a real life attitude.