More Than a Name

When Cammie Bradley's mother remarries, the eight-year-old must cope with a number of distressing changes-a new town, a new school and even her stepfather's gentle teasing. (Cammie also bears the hurt from knowing that her biological father left the family years ago and hasn't been heard from since.) The youngster thinks that if she wins the school's essay contest, her stepfather will realize that she's special enough to be his daughter-and he'll adopt her so that the entire family will have the same last name. Ransom (Ladies and Jellybeans) blends a '50s sentimentality with what has become an almost commonplace contemporary phenomenon-remarriage. She addresses Cammie's recognizable concerns-her longing for familial solidarity and an abiding need for acceptance among her peer group-with true-to-life characterizations and a dose of gentle humor. Ages 7-10. (July)