Rosetown by Cynthia Rylant

Flora is nine years old and she loves the small town they live in.  It's quiet, the people are nice and she's making a new friend.  She even gets to read the children's books in the used bookstore her mom works part time in.  They do have a family challenge.  Her parents are separated and live in separate homes.  She spends time with each and is hoping they will get together again...

Beach Lane Books and Edelweiss gave me the opportunity to read this book for review (thank you).  It will be published May 15th.

This has the feel of the old classic children's stories and I really like that.  It's like finding a comfortable overstuffed chair.  You sit down, open the book, and take a nice walk in a comfortable town filled with amiable characters.

Flora likes the new boy who sits behind her in school.  They hit it off and she doesn't care that he's from the Ukraine.  Yuri is fun and he works in his father's doctor office in the afternoons.  It's not far from the bookstore, so they can walk there together.

She has another friend, a girl a year younger than she is.  She lives in a gated community in a big house.  That's not Flora's style, but she will visit.

Flora gets a cat, Yuri gets a dog, and her parents develop a new plan for the future.

This story is rich in family insights and love and resonated with me.  I know there are some young readers out there who will enjoy it, too.