Louisa Eclipsed

Baehr, Patricia

ISBN 10: 0688076823 ISBN 13: 9780688076825

Publisher: William Morrow & Co

Synopsis

Louisa's joyful return to her grandfather's farm for the summer is marred by the news of the farm's financial troubles and the competition between Louisa and her sister for the attention of a farm hand.

About this title

From School Library Journal:

Grade 5-8 It is difficult to know what to make of Louisa. Every incident recounted of the summer stay at her grandfather's farm points up Baehr's barely submerged theme of Louisa as a selfish, sharp-tongued, uncooperative teenager who even thinks that God answers her prayers while ignoring others'. Yet the dialogue reveals a Louisa with whom readers can warmly sympathize. She loves her younger sister Megshe just isn't ready to play second fiddle to her, certainly not with John, their grandfather's young neighbor who had seemed so "right" for Louisa. There are markedly disagreeable sparks between Louisa and her overbearing Aunt Ruth, but rightly so, for the aunt is nastily adept at put-downs and interference in her nieces' lives. Centerpiece to the story is the midnight tryst-a-trois in the cornfield to watch a lunar eclipse. When Louisa turns around and discovers John embracing her sister, she herself feels totally eclipsed. Her response is typical adolescent devastation. When Meg asks for help against ensuing gossip, she refuses, although in time she relents for her own reasons. Unfortunately, signals from Baehr keep bumping into each other, leaving readers wondering how they are supposed to feel about Louisa. Katharine Bruner, Brown Middle School, Harrison, Tenn.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About this edition

• Publisher: William Morrow & Co
• ISBN 10: 0688076823
• ISBN 13: 9780688076825
• Binding: Library Binding
• Number of pages: 140