Borrowed Summer

Jan is heartbroken when Gram, her mother's grandmother, fractures a hip and goes into the hospital. Jan's mom, taking care of younger siblings and suffering from morning sickness, seems indifferent when Gram is then put into a nursing home. Jan and her two best friends volunteer to work at the home to keep an eye on Gram. As the old woman loses hope of being released, Jan hatches a plan. She and her friends, with the help of a nurse and two older boys, spirit Gram and another patient, Carl, to a vacant cabin in the woods. By the time their absence is discovered a week later, the two former invalids have regained their zest for life. The deeply moving, lyrical narration in this first novel poignantly shows that love can inspire acts of heroism. Readers will be encouraged by seeing an 11-year-old take on responsibility and effect changes in an adult world. (9-12)