Under the Watsons' Porch

I just finished reading Under the Watsons' Porch by Susan Shreve. It as a fast read, faster than most fast reads. Very simply written and easy to follow.

It's about a 12 year old girl who befriends a neighbor boy who just moved in. This boy has a reputation of being a trouble maker, and has moved from home to home over the years. They decide together that they will form a club and invite all the children in the neighborhood 10 years old and younger to join their club. When everyone is gathered together, Tommy (the new kid), explains that the soil under the Watsons' porch is magical. He further explains that when they plant their own special seeds, in 1 week said seeds will produce lollipops. The children return in 1 week and lollipops have indeed appeared.

This book talks a little bit about the pain Tommy has experienced in being shuffled from home to home and about choices he's made resulting from feelings of abandonment. It is about the coming of age of a preteen, Ellie, and how right and wrong, black and white, help guide her, and she comes to realize that there are some gray areas in life, too.

Good read. I recommend it, especially for younger readers.