First Came the Owl

Richardson (The Way Home) deftly combines themes from Western fairy tales and Thai folklore with a contemporary plot to create a tale shining with quiet grace and subtle power. Fifth grader Nita feels helpless and bereft when her mother sinks into a speechless depression after returning from a trip to her native Thailand to their wintry Cape Cod home. And she feels even more forlorn when, after ""Ma-jah"" is hospitalized and her Coast Guard father goes to sea on duty, she is left at her best friend's house. Preoccupied with her mother's illness, Nita takes little in the goings-on around her until she starts catching glimpses of rare snowy owls on the beach. Before long the usually shy girl unexpectedly lands the lead role in the class production of Snow White and takes the lead as well in reaching out to Ma-jah. Lyrical, acutely observed yet simply told, with a heartwarming conclusion, this is top-drawer middle-grade fiction. Ages 9-12. (June)