Two for Joy

Gr 1–4—At eight years old, Jenna dreams of being an Olympic soccer player. But when her Great-Aunt Tannie breaks her ankle and moves in with Jenna and her mother, things begin to change and not always for the better. Farm-girl Aunt Tannie isn't used to being treated like a fragile old lady, Grace is dealing with how to juggle taking care of her aunt and her daughter, and Jenna is learning how to adjust to being a little more independent and mature. In the end, the trio learn to control their tempers and let Tannie be the true judge of her abilities. Most importantly, they learn how to help one another and still have fun. Children will relate to this story. However, it offers up some deep, serious themes without devoting enough time to fully flesh them out. As a result, the characters are bland and not fully realized. Full-page black-and-white pencil-sketched illustrations are peppered throughout but do little to enhance the overall story.