Lemon Drop Falls

Gr 5 Up–Twelve-year-old Morgan is doing fine. She makes sure her little siblings are taken care of, dinner is on the table every night, and that her dad doesn’t have to worry about a thing. The problem is Morgan worries about everything, and has since her mom’s sudden death. Mom was the planner of the family who kept everyone together with ABC Plans and lemon drop talks, where you go through the sour to get to the sweet. Without Mom, Morgan doesn’t have a plan for how to handle all of life’s changes, like junior high, possible crushes, and frenemies. When Morgan’s dad decides to take the family on their annual camping trip, Morgan realizes she can’t escape her Mom’s memory or the pressures her life in “Plan B” is putting on her, even when she tries. Chapters alternate “before” and “after” Morgan’s mom’s death and allow readers to really feel how much Morgan’s life has changed and what she is dealing with. Morgan and her family present white, while strong secondary characters, both adult and kids, add depth and diversity to the story.