Ellie Makes Her Move

Gr 4-8–After 12-year-old Ellie’s father’s humanitarian project leads to resentment in her hometown, she and her family relocate to Lakeside. Wanting to avoid being hurt like she was by her old friends, Ellie becomes a loner at her new school. But her new house has a fascinating secret: In the attic, an old spyglass shows not just what is, but all kinds of strange things that can’t be possible. To figure out what’s going on, Ellie recruits some other “loners” at her school, determined to connect with them even when they resist. The writing trots along, making this an immersive, light read. Ellie exhibits admirable traits, but her narration isn’t convincing: From the beginning, she emphasizes wanting to be a loner, but almost right away she tries to befriend people. The spyglass presents an intriguing mystery at first but falls to the wayside and functions only as a convenient plot device as the book goes on. At times, the narrative has a clear plot arc; at others, it seems to be aspiring toward a slice-of-life story, and the result is an unresolved ending.