The Pickle Song

DeClements ( Nothing's Fair in Fifth Grade ; Wake Me at Midnight ) here deftly stages an affecting drama starring two sixth-grade girls. Though Paula, who lives in a small house near Seattle with her mother and grandmother, has little in the way of material possessions, she has a great deal more than Sukey, a classmate whose home is an old car. Afraid of having to reveal details about her life, Sukey shrugs off Paula's initial attempts to make friends. But when Paula's grandmother finds a temporary live-in job for Sukey's mother, the homeless girl moves into Paula's room and the two establish a tentative but caring friendship. DeClements's skill at illuminating the important relationships in Paula's life will elicit applause from her many young fans. Though lighter in tone than Paula Fox's Monkey Island , this topical novel has plenty of substance, thanks to believable dialogue and a cast of likable, multidimensional characters. Ages 8-12. (Sept.)