February 1, 2021
Grades 4-7 Midway through seventh grade, Ellie makes the difficult transition to a new school in a new town. Sitting alone in the cafeteria on her third school day, she's dissatisfied, but she has a plan. Ellie chooses three other loners from her English class and, taking the first step in a campaign to befriend them, sits down with Alyssa, a goth girl. At the first opportunity, Ellie shows her the one secret, magical part of her new home: in a high turret, a vintage telescope overlooks the town and shows the viewer an alternate reality. Gradually, the girls draw Rachel and Kiara into their circle of friends, which Ellie names the Spyglass Sisterhood. Together, the four girls ponder what the telescope reveals: the future? the viewer's wishes? other people's fantasies? Time will tell. Ellie narrates the lively, well-paced story, which reflects her empathy and competence as well as her initial loneliness. The book establishes the girls' diverse stories, circumstances, and personalities, while leaving readers to wonder what adventures lie ahead in the Spyglass Sisterhood series.
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February 1, 2021
Gr 4-8-After 12-year-old Ellie's father's humanitarian project leads to resentment in her hometown, she and her family relocate to Lakeside. Wanting to avoid being hurt like she was by her old friends, Ellie becomes a loner at her new school. But her new house has a fascinating secret: In the attic, an old spyglass shows not just what is, but all kinds of strange things that can't be possible. To figure out what's going on, Ellie recruits some other "loners" at her school, determined to connect with them even when they resist. The writing trots along, making this an immersive, light read. Ellie exhibits admirable traits, but her narration isn't convincing: From the beginning, she emphasizes wanting to be a loner, but almost right away she tries to befriend people. The spyglass presents an intriguing mystery at first but falls to the wayside and functions only as a convenient plot device as the book goes on. At times, the narrative has a clear plot arc; at others, it seems to be aspiring toward a slice-of-life story, and the result is an unresolved ending. VERDICT While the writing style makes this a fun read, kids will feel unsatisfied by inconsistent characters and a failure to develop promising story lines.-Kristin Brynsvold, Tuckahoe Elem. Sch., Arlington, VA
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