by Nancy Bond
First published 1978
Charlotte Paige stares at the empty weeks stretching before her. Spring vacation in Concord, Massachusetts promises nothing but boredom for the twelve-year-old. As the youngest in her family, Charlotte has grown accustomed to being the center of attention. Now her older siblings and parents seem absorbed in their own lives, leaving her behind. Her brothers and sisters have moved on to adult concerns that exclude her completely. Even her parents barely notice her anymore. The family dynamics have shifted, and Charlotte finds herself increasingly isolated. One event offers hope in the bleak schedule ahead. Concord's annual Patriots' Day celebration on April 19th will commemorate the Revolutionary War's beginning. Charlotte clings to this single bright prospect as her vacation approaches. The celebration represents her one chance to break free from the loneliness that has settled over her young life. She faces the challenge of finding her place in a family that seems to have outgrown her.
Genres: fiction, 20th-century, coming-of-age, family-drama
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: coming-of-age, family-dynamics
Setting: Concord, Massachusetts
Period: Spring, April 19th
248 pages · Hardcover · Atheneum