cover image Rich and Famous Like My Mom

Rich and Famous Like My Mom

Hila Colman, Hila Coleman. Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers, $10.95 (0pp) ISBN 978-0-517-56836-1

Cassandra, daughter of the famous rock singer Philippa, can't help feeling lonely and depressed each time her mother goes on tour. Cassandra has no real friends, and is virtually guarded by her housekeeper, but things begin to change for her when she befriends Mollie, a homeless woman who roams the streets of New York City. Through Mollie, Cassandra develops an awareness of a whole new world, one of people whose lives are still important even though they are in much-reduced circumstances. Cassandra comes to recognize and admire qualities in both Mollie and her mother that she, too, possesses, if only she is brave enough to act on them. Keenly aware of Mollie's thoughts and feelings, Cassandra is a highly perceptive character, and the changes she undergoes are significant and believable. Ages 9-12. (April)