LaFleur, Suzanne. 2013. LISTENING FOR LUCCA.
New York: Random House. ISBN 9780375990885 [Suggested Grade Levels 5-8]
REVIEW
This
quiet novel blends family drama with a mild ghost story. Siena’s family decides
to leave busy Brooklyn to live in a quiet, beach house in hopes this new locale
will reduce anxiety and allow her three year old brother to begin speaking
again. Her mother also believes the move will allow Siena to start over at a
new school and give her the opportunity to make friends. Siena is happy to
spend time taking care of her brother and isn’t even sure if she is willing to
risk opening up to new friends who might not understand her compulsion for
collecting forgotten items or tendency to see people who aren’t really present.
As soon as the family moves into the beach house, the children sense the
presence of ghosts and Siena becomes convinced that solving the secret of the
ghosts’ unhappiness will help Lucca.
Siena’s
little brother is a selective mute and much of the plot involves the family’s
attempts to encourage Lucca to begin speaking. Siena’s guilt about her perceived
role in Lucca’s silence leads her to test the limits of her abilities to
commune with ghosts, even though the effort becomes dangerous. Fortunately
Siena meets several new friends that accept her quirky behavior and even assist
in helping Lucca.
CONNECTIONS
Give this novel to shy tweens that need
encouragement making friends or children coping with a sibling’s disability.
This book would also be useful for whole group discussions about accepting
others.
RELATED BOOKS
Other books
about teens helping siblings or friends with special needs:
Choldenko,
Gennifer. AL CAPONE DOES MY SHIRTS. ISBN 9780399238611
Fletcher,
Ralph. FLYING SOLO. ISBN 9780547076522
Philbrick, W.R. FREAK THE MIGHTY. ISBN 9780545566452
By Kimberly C. Kinnaird
No comments:
Post a Comment