Description: Grade 4-6 A story about a California family that finds itself in dire straits. While the scenario shows that bad things can happen to anyone, it is difficult to feel any empathy for Luger's characters. Their dialogue and actions just don't ring true. When the Cookes are evicted from their apartment and must move to a motel, 11-year-old Suzie and her sister are told to pack only absolute necessities. In order to make room for her roller blades, Suzie donates her clothing to a homeless drive at school, keeping a few pairs of underwear and two shirts. When they are forced to leave the motel, Suzie's exasperated mother asks how they will get her some clean clothing. The girl replies, "It's only a week till you get your check." The family's lack of housing is overshadowed by Suzie's need for $20 for her Halloween costume. There is one likable character who appears in the middle of the novel and is instrumental in saving the day, but she can't save this inane offering. Paula Fox's Monkey Island (Orchard, 1991) is a more serious, compelling treatment of this tough subject.-Linda Gray, Tyler Public Library, TX

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