From the Life and Bookcase of Winnie Lowe

From the Life and Bookcase of Winnie Lowe is a novel for anyone who has been to middle school, loved a book, endured a hard goodbye, made a new friend, or discovered something unexpected about themselves.

Winnie Lowe is not your average bookworm. Although she loves books and has an enormous vocabulary, speaking is not her strong suit. Winnie has always looked to characters and lessons from her beloved books to help her express her thoughts and feelings. She also leans on Marcie-her very vocal best friend. Marcie and Winnie are excited to start middle school together, but when they learn Marcie's family is moving out of California, Winnie must face starting middle school without her. It's 1984, so they rely on phone calls or written letters to stay in touch. Things start looking up when Winnie's English teacher encourages her to join the school newspaper, The Beat. As part of the newspaper staff, Winnie discovers that in addition to being an avid reader, she's a passionate writer and, for the first time, a budding speaker. However, her newfound voice will soon be tested. More than once. Winnie's new experiences also include meeting Thuy, and as their friendship deepens, they learn about each other's Jewish and Vietnamese traditions and beliefs.

For many reasons, Winnie Lowe's sixth-grade year is nothing like she thought it would be. But life rarely is.