The Broccoli Tapes

In her first novel for middle-grade readers, noted author Slepian uses the themes of loss and isolation to examine the relationships of three children. Sara's family has temporarily moved to Hawaii, where her father is teaching. Since Sara was to have completed an oral history project about her family at her old school, her teacher has her make tapes about her life in Hawaii to send back to the class. Sara and her older brother Sam feel isolated among unfamiliar surroundings and circumstances, and even though they are warned to stay away from wild animals, they becomes caretakers to an injured feral cat, Broccoli; the cat leads them to befriend Eddie Nutt. There are major lossesboth their grandmother and Broccoli diebut through these losses comes growth and understanding, and, for Eddie, reparation. Sara's story, with its warm, funny and sometimes sad narration, will elicit compassion from readers. Ages 8-12. (Apr.)