The Lonely Heart of Maybelle Lane

Gr 4 Up–Eleven-year-old Maybelle Lane has never met her father. Everything she knows of him comes from one voicemail, and her Momma saying he’ll just break her heart. When Maybelle discovers he is a radio DJ and will be judging a singing competition in Nashville, she signs up instantly. Even better, the event lines up perfectly with her Momma’s month-long work trip. During her mother’s absence, Maybelle is placed under the care of her rigid neighbor, Mrs. Boggs. She devises a plan to make it to Nashville on her own, yet when her plan goes awry, Mrs. Boggs ends up accompanying her on the road. Joined by their neighbor Tommy, the trio sets off on a quest filled with courage, a dog named Pickles, and unexpected friendship. O’Shaughnessy’s debut is illuminated by characters each brimming with charm and grit while coping with deeper scars. Readers will cheer on plucky Maybelle and will empathize with her anxiety attacks and her being bullied for her mother’s sexuality. Perfectly paced with a few surprise twists, this novel layers themes of resilience and finding love in unexpected places.