Anna Was Here

Ten-year-old Anna Nickel is moving from Colorado to Kansas, and she is not happy about leaving her friends behind! This is a moving, often humorous coming-of-age story about family, faith, God's love, and the meaning of home, perfect for fans of Katherine Paterson and The Penderwicks.

Ten-year-old Anna Nickel's worst nightmare has come true. Her father has decided to move the family back to Oakwood, Kansas--where he grew up--in order to become the minister of the church there. New friends, new school, a new community, and a family of strangers await, and what's even worse, it's all smack-dab in the middle of Tornado Alley. Anna has always prided herself on being prepared (she keeps a notebook on how to cope with disasters, from hurricanes to shark bites), but she'll be tested in Oakwood! This beautifully written novel introduces a family who takes God's teachings to heart while finding many occasions to laugh along the way, and an irrepressible and wholesome ten-year-old who, with a little help from Midnight H. (her cat), takes control of her destiny.

Can her disaster notebook prepare her for small-town life, a family of strangers, and the scariest weather on earth?

• Brave Girl Protagonist: Ten-year-old Anna Nickel has a plan for everything from shark bites to hurricanes. But her notebook has nothing on being the new kid in Tornado Alley.
• Moving to a New Town: Leaving her whole world in Colorado behind, Anna discovers that the biggest disaster might just be starting over in Oakwood, Kansas.
• Unlikely Friendships: From her quirky great-aunts to a mysterious boy with a water balloon, Anna learns that finding your people isn't always part of the plan.
• Heartfelt Family Story: A funny, loving, and faithful family that proves home isn't just a place--it's the people you share it with, especially your cat, Midnight H.