Blueberry Pancakes Forever

Gr 4–6—Following the death of her husband, well-known writer Serendipity Smith has been seriously depressed. Her daughter and budding fellow author, Tuesday, isn't doing much better, leaving the house in disarray with dishes unwashed and no food in the refrigerator. Because of this, Serendipity's famous character, Vivienne Small, now lives in a neglected, frozen world in the universe where all stories exist. Loddon, a cruel, needy character made of grass and written by Serendipity when she was young, mysteriously appears in Vivienne's world. Mistaking young Tuesday for her mother, Loddon harshly summons her to his side to tell him endless tales in which he is the hero. Hungry, weak, and hidden away in the earth under a tree, Tuesday could write a scenario that would save her from her predicament, but she is creatively stuck. Meanwhile, others are desperately searching for her: Baxterr, her faithful winged dog; her nonwriting caretaker, Colette, who illegally enters the storybook world; Vivienne; and Serendipity, who knows she shouldn't interrupt Tuesday's creative flow but whose motherly instinct takes over. The adventurous intrigue pitting Loddon against Tuesday and Vivienne makes for a compelling thriller. On the other hand, the ambitious writing device regarding a world where the main character is both the heroine and writer of her own narrative may be confusing for some readers.