Tory and Me and the Spirit of True Love - Hardcover

Emily Osgood discovers a lot about amatory matters in this old-fashioned family story, by turns funny and tender. It's summertime, and Emily and her imaginative cousin Tory become fascinated with the mysterious past of their recently departed Aunt Louisa. Tory is convinced there is a romantic tragedy waiting to be uncovered, and Emily is content to follow her cousin's lead. Cranky old Uncle Arthur, however, eventually sets the girls straight about true love, and about how appearances can be deceiving. The members of Emily and Tory's large extended family all live nearby, making their sleepy hometown as comfortable for readers as a big Sunday dinner. Youngsters looking for excitement and contemporary issues should go farther afield than this low-key novel, but Bechard's ( My Sister, My Science Report ) cheerful look into an "ordinary" family ambles along without the baggage of dysfunctional characteristics. Ages 8-12.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Grade 3-6-- A lightweight offering, with a slight plot and superficial characterizations balanced by flashes of humor, quick dialogue, and some touching moments. Eleven-year-old cousins, Tory Vaughan and Emily Osgoode, hope for a summer of romance. When Uncle Arthur, widow of Grandma's sister Louisa, arrives for a visit, the girls try to find out about the mysterious Louisa, and the purported ``wrong man'' she married. They make a midnight visit to the cemetery to put flowers on Louisa's grave and there gain an understanding of the true love they seek. The large extended family is a nice touch, as are the lessons on regret, making amends, and forgiveness. As the girls learn to love Uncle Arthur and to understand romance within the elder set, a subtle message against ageism is conveyed. --Connie Tyrrell Burns, Mahoney Middle School, South Portland, ME
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.