Publishers Weekly Review
Jane Austen fan and aspiring writer Jane, 12, can't wait to meet a published author--when bestselling romance novelist J.E. Fairfax visits her tiny Maine town, she looks forward to learning "the secret to literary success." Unfortunately, it's also the night of the worst hurricane in a decade, and after a series of misadventures, Jane must grapple with two unwelcome visitors: Fairfax's irritating son, Devon, and Jane's own screenwriter mother, who arrives suddenly from Hollywood with her new fiancé. Jane, who has always been happy living with her oceanographer father, is terrified that her mother's sudden interest in joint custody will mean having to leave loved ones behind. To tip the scales in her father's favor, Jane decides he needs an impressive girlfriend and schemes to set him up with Fairfax. Going (Bumpety, Dunkety, Thumpety-Thump!) offers a fitting depiction of life in a small coastal town--three grades share a single classroom at the small school--and shrewdly imbues her lively romantic comedy with timely discussions of natural science and climate change, as well as advice on what it takes to become a successful author. Ages 10--14. Agent: Ginger Knowlton, Curtis Brown. (May) |
School Library Journal Review
Gr 5 Up--Jane Brannen is an aspiring author from a small town where nothing ever happens. Things change quickly as best-selling author J.E. Fairfax arrives in Jane's town at the exact same time a hurricane threatens to blow Whickett Harbor off the map. But nothing is going to stop Jane from her dream of meeting a real, live author. Not a hurricane. Not some insufferable snob, who happens to also be J.E. Fairfax's son. Not even her mother, who threatens to take Jane away from the only life she has ever known. Jane doesn't expect the heap of trouble she courts while trying to get the advice she was hoping for, but she does learn a lot about true love. Fans of Going will love her latest book, and new fans will emerge with a new favorite. VERDICT Going has created another original and captivating story by weaving engaging characters in an ordinary setting who do incredible and impossible things. An inspirational must-have for every library.--Christina Paolozzi, Bonaire Elementary School, GA |