The Bell Bandit, 3

Everything about this trip to Grandma's house was different:

First, because of the fire, Mrs. Treski, Evan, and Jessie had driven up to Grandma's two days after Christmas instead of the day before, missing Christmas with Grandma entirely.

Second, the fire had left a hole in the back kitchen wall big enough to drive a car through And with Grandma in the hospital and not in her house, everything felt off.

Third, someone had climbed the long, slow slope of Lovell Hill to the top and had stolen the old iron bell hanging on its heavy wooden crossbeam.

Who on earth would steal the New Year's Bell? And how could Grandma, Mrs.Treski, Evan, Jessie, and their neighbors ring in the New Year without it?

Like a modern-day Beverly Cleary, Ms. Davies writes with heart, humor, and honesty about the inevitability of profound change and reveals just how well she understands the complex emotions of the children.

Paperback.

About the Author
Jacqueline Davies is the talented, award-winning writer of several novels and picture books. She lives in Needham, Massachusetts, with her family.Visit her website at www.jacquelinedavies.net.

In shaping this third book in theLemonade War series, Jacqueline Davies writes: In the first book, I focused on the brother/sister relationship. In the second one, I looked closely at the school/peer dynamic. I knew in the third one I wanted to return the focus to the family . . . and all roads pointed to the grandmother, the original caregiver in the story, who took care of Mrs. Treski when she was little and was such an important and stable part of Evan and Jessie's lives.