ROSY AND THE SECRET FRIEND

This is the story of how Louisa and Rosy get to be secret friends one summer, a summer that the fairies of Sheepscot Farm will never forget.

Every fairy in the world loves summer-- except the fairies of Sheepscot Island. Sheepscot is a fairies' paradise in fall and winter and spring, but not in summer-- that's when the cottages on Sheepscot Island are taken over. by the Summer People. Summer People are immense bumbling creatures who trample fairy houses and unleash barking dogs and circle the island in stinky boats and altogether make a fairy paradise into a dreadful noisy place, where fairies can only come out safely at night. Tinker Bell's little sisters love the summer weather and the fruits and flowers of the garden, but they don't love hiding from the Summer People. Yet hide they must. Of all of Tinker Bell's little sisters you wouldn't suppose it's Rosy who gets into trouble with the Summer People; but it is Rosy indeed. One little girl on Sheepscot Island is not like the others-she has to be wheeled in a little chair up and down the island paths and can't run and play with the other boys and girls. Rosy's kind heart nearly breaks when she sees Louisa left behind while the other children go out of doors. Rosy watches and waits as Louisa reads books to herself and plays games where she takes all the parts. And Rosy alone sees Louisa's tears when the mean boys tease her being stuck in a wheelchair and never riding a bike or jumping into the cool, clear water of Sheepscot Bay. One day Louisa is so sad and so alone that she sits in her room with the curtains drawn and her books scattered about and her sewing projects half-finished and her knitting not even started. Rosy cannot bear to see a child so unhappy-even if she is one of the Summer People-- so while Louisa is sleeping, Rosy has a good tidy-up. She pulls aside the curtains and polishes the windows. She sweeps the floor and plumps the pillows. She gathers the scraps and cast on the knitting. And just as she is putting the finishing touches to the wildflowers she arranged in a jam jar, Louisa wakes up. Margaret McNamara is the pen name for Brenda Bowen, an esteemed children's publisher and now literary agent. She has penned 28 titles in the Robin Hill School series, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary with Scholastic's publication of two titles in 2013. She was awarded the Christopher Medal for How Many Seeds in a Pumpkin? (Schwartz & Wade) and recently published The Three Little Aliens and the Big Bad Robot and George Washington's Birthday (both Schwartz & Wade), and Apple ABC (Scholastic). Margaret McNamara spends her summers in Maine-- often with her two sisters and her "baby" brother-where she has been known to build fairy houses and listen out for Trolls. Julia Denos graces this delightful text with her girly and energetic illustrations.