Love, Aubrey by Suzanne LaFleur

Have you ever read a book that was really good, but had some things in it that made you feel like you didn't want to like it?  That's sort of how I feel about Love, Aubrey by Suzanne LaFleur (Lexile: 570; Interest Level: Grades 3-6).  At the beginning of the book, Aubrey is living by herself in her house with her new pet fish, and it takes a while to learn what happened to her family, but you know it must be bad because why else would an eleven-year-old be living by herself?  Told in Aubrey's voice, this story is full of heartache, honest feelings, brilliant phrases, and remarkable characters, all of which tell a fabulous story about a devastating topic.  No child should ever have to face what happens to Aubrey in this book, which is why it is hard to say I liked it, but the story is so well-written that I couldn't help but get sucked into Aubrey's complicated life.  Through every new event and memory, the reader will hurt with Aubrey and rejoice with her.  

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