Summer of a Thousand Pies

Gr 4-6--Since her mother's death, Cady's father has been adrift, struggling to maintain a job and provide a home and basic parental care. When long-standing sobriety issues land him in jail, 12-year-old Cady is once again placed in foster care, this time with her Aunt Shell, her mother's sister whom she hardly knows. Life in remote, yet close-knit Julian, CA, is quite different from living homeless on the San Diego streets. At Aunt Shell's pie shop, Cady discovers a sense of belonging she never knew, making friends with the employees and regular customers, while also learning some hard truths about her parents. But Aunt Shell's business struggles have jeopardized the future of the pie shop, and Cady's scrappiness, ingenuity, and drive to be a great pie-maker gets everyone in her newfound home involved to save the establishment. Eight recipes with notes from Cady are included as back matter. Memorable characters and strong writing make this more than just a book about pie. Homelessness, substance abuse, undocumented immigrants, and same-sex relationships are weaved into the plot, along with themes of belonging, acceptance, and finding one's place in the world. Though some social issues would have benefited from deeper development and others are not wholly rectified, they are present and, to the author's credit, vital aspects of the narrative. VERDICT Realistic fiction with substance. This would be a fine purchase for mid to large collections.--Rebecca Gueorguiev, New York Public Library

Cady, 12, is used to being homeless, sleeping next to her father in his old van, and getting taunted at school. Her life changes abruptly, though, when social services arranges for her to live with an aunt she's never met in the tiny village of Julian, apple pie capital of greater San Diego. At first, Cady is wary of pie shop owner Aunt Shell and her partner Suzanne, but it doesn't take long for her to warm up to their hospitality and their quaint town, where people offer support. Here, Cady has a chance to practice her baking skills as Aunt Shell and her employees teach her how to make pie. When the business flails, and Aunt Shell is in danger of losing both her shop and her home, Cady is determined to find a solution. In a novel that evokes the warmth of home, newfound security, and friendship, Dilloway (the Momotaro books) effectively contrasts Cady's old life with her new one while examining her muddled emotions, including the mixture of anger and love she feels toward her father. Those who share the protagonist's passion for the culinary arts will delight in the easy-to-follow pie recipes following the story's gratifying conclusion. Ages 8-12. Agent: Patricia Nelson, Marsal Lyon Literary Agency. (Apr.)