Good Graces - Hardcover

Kagen, Lesley

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0525952381 ISBN 13: 9780525952381

Publisher: Dutton, 2011

Synopsis

Lesley Kagen returns with the sequel to her national bestselling debut, Whistling in the Dark.

Whistling in the Dark captivated readers with the story of ten-year-old Sally O'Malley and her sister, Troo, during Milwaukee's summer of 1959. The novel became a New York Times bestseller and was named a Midwest Honor Award winner.

In Good Graces, it's one year later, and a heat wave has everyone in the close-knit Milwaukee neighborhood on edge. None more so than Sally O'Malley, who remains deeply traumatized by the sudden death of her daddy and her near escape from a murderer and molester the previous summer. Although outwardly she and her sister, Troo, are more secure, Sally's confidence in her own judgment and much of her faith have been whittled away. When a series of disquieting events unfold in the neighborhood-a string of home burglaries, the escape from reform school of a nemesis, and the mysterious disappearance of an orphan, crimes that may involve the increasingly rebellious Troo-Sally is called upon to rise above her inner demons. She made a deathbed promise to her daddy to keep Troo safe, a promise she can't break, even if her life depends on it. But when events reach a crisis point, will Sally have the courage and discernment to make the right choices? Or will her false assumptions lead her and those she loves into danger once again?

Lesley Kagen's gift for imbuing her child narrators with compelling authenticity shines as never before in Good Graces, a novel told with sensitivity, wit, and warmth.

About this title

From the Author

Dear Reader,

When I sent my debut novel, Whistling in the Dark, out into the world four years ago, I kept my fingers crossed that readers would connect with my two little girls stumbling through a bygone era.  To my astonishment, and profound gratitude, readers not only seemed to enjoy the story, they clamored for more!

Of course, I was thrilled by their enthusiastic response, but when I sat down to tackle Good Graces it was with more than a little trepidation. I'd never written a sequel before, and so much time had passed. Would I be able to recapture the characters' voices, the feel of the block?  I couldn't have been more surprised when I fell back into the O'Malley sisters lived so easily.  I suspect it's because I grew up on the west side of Milwaukee during the 1950's in a neighborhood very similar to the one where the stories are set.  The lingo of those days, the clothing, the movies and music, it's a part of me.  My history.

I'm often asked if it's difficult to tell a story through the eyes of a young narrator.  Not really.  Children's language may be less developed, their perceptions immature, but we share something vital that makes it easy for me to connect with them.  Emotional cores. Hopefully, without the armor of adulthood getting in the way, the kid in me can connect with the kid in you so we can get down to the nitty-gritty of life...our feelings.

I hope you enjoy reading about the further adventures of the O'Malley sisters, and their friends and neighbors on Vliet Street, as much as I enjoyed writing about them again.  It felt good to be home.

Warmest wishes,

Lesley

About the Author

Lesley Kagen is the award winning author of the New York Times bestselling Whistling in the Dark, Land of a Hundred Wonders, and Tomorrow River.  Her work has been translated into five languages. The mother of two grown children, she lives near Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

About this edition

• Publisher: Dutton
• Publication date: 2011
• ISBN 10: 0525952381
• ISBN 13: 9780525952381
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 352