STOPPING TO HOME

A strong and memorable heroine narrates this compelling debut from Wait, which effectively evokes life in 1806 Maine. After the death of her 30-year-old mother during a pox epidemic and the prolonged absence of her mariner father, 11-year-old Abigail must work for young Widow Chase to earn room and board and to keep her four-year-old brother, Seth, from being sent to the orphanage. "This house is not ours; we are only waiting here until something else happens," Abbie tells herself. However, while they wait, practical and observant Abbie ascertains Widow Chase's dire financial situation, notices that the woman is expecting a baby and schemes a plan using the widow's millinery talents to support and keep them all. Seth's romanticized view of his seafaring father and his high hopes for the man's return (despite the mariner's spotty history) heighten the tension. Throughout, Wait weaves in customs (such as tolling bells when a person dies), language and geography that capture this bustling town by the sea. Ages 8-12. (Oct.)