The New Girl (Young Mandie Mystery #2) - Softcover

Best known for her Mandie series, Lois Gladys Leppard has written over 30 books for young readers.

Grade 2-5-A cross between "Nancy Drew" and Little House on the Prairie, this second book in the series is weak as a mystery and as historical fiction. Mandie's insatiable curiosity leads her to spy on the new neighbors at the old Conley place. When Faith, the girl she spotted through the window, shows up at school, Mandie tries hard to befriend her, but the newcomer wants nothing to do with her or any of her fellow students. Finding out that Faith and her grandmother, a former teacher disfigured in a fire, are living in poverty, Mandie organizes the rest of the community. Not only do they clean and fix up the rundown home, but they also provide them with livestock and offer the woman a trip to New York to see a specialist. The book ends with directions for making a "friendship bank" to hold notes of encouragement. This title is below-average series fare for younger readers than Leppard's "Mandie" books (Bethany House).
Yapha Nussbaum Mason, Brentwood Lower School, Los Angeles
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