What Franny is reading

Franny says: Pudge heads off to Culver Creek Boarding School in search of “The Great Perhaps.” What he finds is a sexy, smart and unstable girl named Alaska and a group of crazy but loyal friends. When Alaska is tragically killed, Pudge’s world is shaken to the core. As he investigates her death with his friends, Pudge struggles with grief and acknowledges the life-changing power of friendship. Funny, dark and beautiful.

Franny says: Set in 19^th-century England, this charming novel follows the romantic entanglements of seventeen-year-old Althea Crawley. Althea lives in a crumbling castle on the North Sea with her widowed mother, a younger brother and two very sour stepsisters. In order the save the family from financial ruin, Althea is determined to marry a man with money. When the wealthy Lord Boring comes into town, Althea hatches a plan to become his wife. Witty banter, unexpected romances and tongue-in-cheek humor litter the pages of this Jane Austen-esque gem of a book.

Franny says: In this charming sequel to The Lemonade War, siblings Evan and Jessie investigate a theft of $208 from their lemonade stand. They decide to stage a secret, after-school trial, complete with a judge, jury and witnesses. At times both hilarious and poignant, this middle-grade novel has something important to say and is a treat for both fans of the first novel and those who read it as a stand-alone.