The World of Daughter McGuire

A school project, recording family traditions, inspires 11-year-old Daughter McGuire to learn more about her heritage and establish her own identity: no easy task for a girl whose grandparents are, respectively, African American, Italian, Irish-Catholic and Russian-Jewish. Daughter has just moved to a new neighborhood, where she becomes a target of racial slurs; she also has to cope with an assortment of family problems that stem from her parents' recent separation. Resolutions coincide with the protagonist's realization that it is all right, even good, to be different. Wyeth (the Pen Pal series, Once-In-A-While Dad ) deserves commendation for her compassionate rendering of contemporary families. Her characters, particularly Daughter's grandparents, prove to be as endearing as they are unique. Almost all preteens will be able to relate to at least one of the conflicts in Daughter's world, and many will find comfort in this book's optimistic conclusion. Ages 8-12. (Apr.)