The Visconti House

Gr 5—8—Two lonely grade-eight kids in rural Australia develop a friendship as they work together to unlock a mystery. Laura feels like an outcast because of her family's artist lifestyle, her curly hair and bushy eyebrows, and the decaying mansion she calls home. Leon, newer to the area, is ostracized for living with his grandmother, the rumors that circulate about his father being in prison, and his shabby appearance. The friendship between the two progresses slowly because Laura, desperate to fit in, is embarrassed to be seen with Leon. As they work together to uncover the history of Laura's house and Mr. Visconti—its original owner—and his tragic love story, Laura learns to understand the value of friendship. Part realistic fiction, part mystery, and part romance, Edgar's first novel is a good blend of simple prose and descriptive imagery and language, and the story behind Mr. Visconti and the house offers some interesting twists. Readers will identify with Laura's desire to fit in and root for the friendship that develops between the two characters.—Adrienne L. Strock, Maricopa County Library District, AZ