Forget me not From the life of Willa Havisham

Gr 6-8-In this latest installment in the life of a wedding planner's daughter, Willa is enjoying summer break on Cape Cod. She has a great boyfriend, a budding new friendship, and her mother is even letting her plan her aunt Ruthie's upcoming wedding. But things are not all perfect. Her best friend, Tina, has become friends with wealthy and popular Ruby. Her boyfriend is leaving for Florida for a month, and the citizens of Bramble are fighting with the Audubon Society over whether their beach should be reserved for an endangered bird habitat or for residents' enjoyment. The story has a few too many subplots, allowing very little room for actual development of any of them, and the author takes on too many issues, many of which are not resolved by the end of the story. Nevertheless, this is a wholesome summer read with a lot of conscience. Each chapter begins with a meaningful quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson, and readers may enjoy exploring books from "Willa's Summer Skinny-Punch Pix List." Although secondary characters and previous situations are loosely explained, this story does not stand alone, and there is a whopping cliff-hanger at the end. Purchase where the other books in the series are popular.-Jessica Marie, Renton Public Library, WA (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Willa (The Wedding Planner's Daughter, The Cupid Chronicles, Willa By Heart) throws herself into pulling together a family wedding (in one week!) and participating in local social causes over the summer. There's also some drama with her boyfriend and her jealous best friend, Tina. Willa's winsome nature helps bolster the story's bland plot. (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.