Mary Francis Shura, Jessica - I had this whole series in the '80s when they came out, and am slowly building the set (at least the good ones) back up. I hadn't read this one in a long time, and I am startled at how mature it is. The relationships are complex and realistic and fit perfectly in the time period (the Kansas frontier in the mid- to late nineteenth century).
Max Franklin, Charlie's Angels - This adaptation of the pilot episode of the series was less impressive. It's very close to being a word-for-word transcription, and contains very little to help us get to know the characters any better. It wouldn't be impressive as fan-fiction. As published fiction, it's disappointing.
Les Standiford, The Man Who Invented Christmas - This is an in-depth look at how and why Dickens came to write A Christmas Carol and the events surrounding the book's publication. The author packs a lot into a small book, filling it with information that is wide-ranging but still relevant to the over-arching theme, and placing Dickens and his book firmly in the center of the creation of Christmas as we know it today.
Margeurite Henry, Misty of Chincoteague - This has never been my favorite Henry - those would be King of the Wind and Brighty of the Grand Canyon - but Misty is a sweet story about hope and hard work and determination. A bit unrealistic, perhaps, but heart-warming nonetheless.
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