Confessions of April Grace

If God wanted April Grace to be kind to her neighbors, He should have made them nicer! Growing up in the country is never easy, but it sure is funny-especially if you happen to have a sister obsessed with being glamorous, a grandma just discovering make-up, hippie friends who never shower, and brand new neighbors from the city who test everyone's patience. From disastrous dye jobs to forced apologies and elderly date tagalongs, you'll laugh 'til you cry as you read the Confessions of April Grace! Here are just a couple of April's thoughts: On her sister, Myra Sue: "How anyone can be that dumb and still be able to eat with a fork is beyond me." On senior citizen lovebirds: "What if they started smooching right at the table in front of God and everybody?" In spite of all the loony characters in her life, April Grace is able to learn from her parents as they share the love of God-to even the craziest of characters!

Just when April Grace thought the drama was over . . . After an automobile accident, Isabel St. James-resident drama coach and drama queen-needs help putting together the church play. Mama insists April Grace and Myra Sue will help. April's fall is now devoted to spending every afternoon with Isabel and Myra Sue-if anyone is as big of a drama queen as Isabel, it's Myra Sue. Plus, she's dumb. (Okay, not dumb, but "older sister dumb.") If that's not enough, Isabel is wreaking havoc in the community trying to get Rough Creek Road paved, the new boy at school will not leave her alone, and then Mama drops the biggest bombshell of all . . . April Grace is no longer going to be the baby of the family . . . Girls will completely relate to April and love her sense of humor as she deals with siblings, boys, and the many changes that come with growing up.

The last thing April Grace wants is more change in her life-but that's exactly what she gets! Plus, April has a new mystery to solve when Myra Sue starts sneaking around and acting very suspicious! From snooty new neighbors to starting junior high to getting a new baby brother to having her grandmother get a boyfriend, April Grace has had enough change to last until she is at least 87 years old. But when it rains, it pours, and April Grace is in for the ride of her life when her prissy, citified neighbor Isabel becomes her gym teacher and a long-lost relative suddenly reappears and throws everything into a tizzy. On top of that, April's sister, Myra Sue, has been hiding something and sneaking around. April needs to find out what is going on before her silly sister gets herself into trouble again. More important, will April find the grace she needs to handle her topsy-turvy life and forgive past wrongs? Girls will fall in love with April's humor and completely relate to her as she deals with family, friends, drama, and both the humor and the heartache that are part of growing up.