Lucy's Lane
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- $4.99
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- $4.99
Publisher Description
Ten-year-old Lucy Beacher grapples with anxiety and the challenges of a new town, compounded by the Covid-19 pandemic. As schools shut down, Lucy discovers an unexpected silver lining - friendship blossoming right in her neighborhood. Meet Cece, a wise widow with a passion for nature; Jade, a spunky Chinese-American girl; and Bea, an eleven-year-old living with her Granny. Despite these newfound connections, trouble brews in the neighborhood when a formidable bully named Alex becomes fast friends with Lucy's older brother, Charlie.
As Lucy navigates the nuances of friendship and allyship, she faces crucial dilemmas and worries she might not have the courage to stand up for what is right. Later, when an unforeseen emergency threatens life or death, Lucy is forced to rely on the one person she never thought would help her.
Lucy's Lane explores the profound themes of empathy, friendship, and love, captivating readers with its compelling exploration of resilience and the enduring strength found in unexpected connections. Join Lucy on her transformative journey, where the bonds of friendship prove to be the ultimate antidote to adversity.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
In Milligan's heartstring-tugging debut, an anxious, white-cued middle schooler's world is turned upside down at the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. Having recently moved from Michigan to Connecticut, fourth grader Lucy is having a hard time making school friends even before lockdown begins. Now attending classes online, Lucy struggles to navigate a "tornado" of feelings, including loneliness and anxiety. These emotions are exacerbated by the knowledge that her cardiologist father must help treat Covid patients at his new hospital job. Soon, newcomers Bea and her younger brother move in down the street, and their arrival brings with them a friend-making opportunity for Lucy. As summer begins, Lucy discovers the joys of companionship and begins to feel hope for the first time since leaving Michigan, even as big emotions continue raging inside her. Lucy's first-person perspective at times feels overly mature for her age, particularly as she considers her mother's worry for her father. Leveraging ruminative reflections about 2020 American politics and society, Milligan crafts a quietly contemplative novel about one girl's yearning for stability amid turbulent circumstances. Ages 8–11. (Self-published)
