The Cupid Chronicles (The Wedding Planner's Daughter #2) - Hardcover

Coleen Murtagh Paratore is the author of the acclaimed The Wedding Planner's Daughter and its brand-new sequel The Cupid Chronicles. For younger readers, she has also written How Prudence Proovit Proved the Truth About Fairy Tales. She's a believer in community rent, Cupid, and the magic of Cape Cod. Look for Mack McGinn's Big Win -- in which two all-American sports-star brothers battle to be the best -- in Summer 2007. Learn more about Coleen at http://www.coleenparatore.com/

Grade 5–9—This sequel to The Wedding Planner's Daughter (S & S, 2005) begins as Willa is entering her freshman year of high school in Bramble, Cape Cod. With her mother now happily remarried and their nomadic life finally at an end, the girl turns her attentions to her date from middle school, Joseph Francis Kennelly, and the prospect of the town's library closing due to a severe lack of funds. As Community Service Leader for her class and a great book lover, she leads the campaign to save Bramble's library. Fans of the first book will not be disappointed, and those just meeting Willafred Havisham will find a genuinely likable protagonist. Events from the previous novel are summarized sufficiently so that readers need not be familiar with it to enjoy this stand-alone sequel. Those who pick up the book because the title suggests good romantic fluff will get that, but they will also be treated to a lesson on "community rent"—the giving of oneself to help others. That added substance sets this title apart from those that focus solely on the more melodramatic side of middle and high school. And while there are some subplots that aren't fully developed—such as the implications that a councilman wants the library closed for personal reasons—this is a sweet and satisfying read from cover to cover.—Amanda Raklovits, Champaign Public Library, IL
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