First published 2016
Lila gazes at the beautiful dollhouse displayed in Miss Whitcomb's front window. She and her younger sister Jane walk past it every day, wishing they could own something so wonderful. Their father recently lost his work, so such luxuries remain out of reach during these hard times of the Great Depression. When Miss Whitcomb notices their interest and invites the girls inside her home, an unexpected friendship begins to bloom between the elderly woman and the two sisters. The dollhouse becomes a bridge connecting their different worlds. However, when tragedy strikes and threatens to shatter their newfound bond, Lila must discover whether the connections they have built can survive loss and uncertainty. McDonough crafts a story about finding light during dark periods, showing how genuine relationships can provide strength when everything else feels uncertain.
Genres: family-life, historical-fiction, contemporary
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, unexpected-friendship
Setting: Great Depression
Period: 20th-century
96 pages · Paperback · Square Fish