Franny Parker, written by Hannah Roberts McKinnon. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2009. $18.95 ages 12 and up

"Another thing I learned is that family comes in all shapes and sizes. And family's not just the people you share your blood with. Take the power of friendship. There are lifelong friends you can't seem to shake, and new friends who find themselves in your backyard. Just like family, a good friend will stand by you, pull you into a living room of laughter, or out of the flames that lick the sky above you."

You need to meet Franny Parker...she is an admirable and worthy narrator. She has a great affinity for animals of all kinds. But, this is not just a story about the animal hospital that she sets up one Oklahoma summer. While determined to care for all animals in need, she also has a strong voice for good in the world. When the Dunns, a mother and her son, move into the cabin next door, Franny is intrigued. She is thirteen and quite enamored of Lucas, the new boy. He proves to be adept with animals and interested in her quest to protect them.

Lucas loves books, especially The Yearling, and he shares his worn copy with Franny. Lucas also has secrets. He and his mother live a quiet, private life and talk little of their past. When Franny discovers the Dunns' reason for moving to a new neighborhood, she plucks up her courage and tries to help. She shows Lucas that being friends means support and understanding when times are bad.

There is much in this story to ensure your attention...it's about strong family and real friendship. It offers hope in painful times. It has a bit of mystery and a lot of grace. The characters are real, strong and honorable. They stand together when the going gets tough and support new neighbors when help is needed. This is Hannah McKinnon's first novel. With such a strong voice and powerful telling, I am sure it will not be her last.

"In the end, Lucas was right about plentiful seasons. Although that summer was one of the hardest, it was really the beginning. In me it added to the rings of my tree, the hope and the sadness, the trying and the giving up, and trying all over again. It filled me up, spilling into my branches, unfurling my leaves. My limbs tingled with the energy of it. And I grew."