Content: G.
BUYING ADVISORY: EL - ADVISABLE
AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE
11yo Miriam has recently moved from New York City to Upstate New York where her parents have purchased a motel. Leaving her 2 best friends behind, this promises to be the worst summer ever. The next exit off the highway is a bigger town with a college, so The Jewel Motel gets very little business, and even though the diner next door makes the best grape pies ever, if the motel doesn't have customers, the diner doesn't see much business either. Kate is the granddaughter Myrna, the owner of Mabel's Diner, and she and Miriam make fast friends with each other. Both girls are aware that without customers, the family businesses are in real trouble, and they hatch a plan - to make a random rust pattern on the screen of the derelict drive-in seem like an image of the Virgin Mary.
I loved that "No Vacancy" had some great plot layers. Miriam's family is Jewish, the only ones in town, while Kate and her family are Catholic as is the housekeeper at the motel, Maria. There was a disabled kid - come to town with his mother who hoped the Virgin would heal him - he was so together, taught Miriam a lot about believing in yourself despite problems. I loved the bits of Jewish culture, especially Miriam's Uncle Mordy who couldn't eat at the diner because the kitchen wasn't Kosher. "No Vacancy" is a great next read for kids who liked the "Front Desk" series - I thought it was going to be similar, but it completely stands on its own merits.
Lisa Librarian
No comments:
Post a Comment