Dear Dad, Love Laurie

Once again Pfeffer writes with humor and sensitivity, this time in a novel about sixth-grader Laurie Levine. The entire storyin a structure similar to Beverly Cleary's Dear Mr. Henshaw is cleverly conveyed through the letters Laurie writes to her father following her parents' divorce. Laurie expresses her feelings about the divorce, how she misses her father and how she reacts when both of her parents begin to date other people, including in the balance of the material her hopes for school and her jealousy of her friend Kris. The letters chronicle Laurie's growth through the school year; readers will admire the honesty and determination found in her lively, believable narration. Ages 9-12. (March)