Sylvie is ten, and thinks about how exciting it would be away from her parent's Wyoming farm. Then summer vacation arrives and Sylvie starts discovering how exciting small town life can be.

Cute story. ( )

This is aother light read of a family working together to appreciate the joys and simplicities of life. I continue to read Patricia MacLachlan's works because she writes with such style and depth of feeling that after reading her books, I am left with a sense of calm and joy.

In this story, Sylvie Bloom's mother was an well-known, renowned opera singer who gave the fame and glory behind to live on a country farm with a husband and two children. She cannot understand why her mother left all the glory behind to now sing with chickens and cows and live a simple life.

This haunts Sylvie to the point of fear that one day her mother will regret all she gave up and will return to that life, leaving her family behind. There is nothing that would confirm her feelings. Instead, her mother is very content and loves the life she has with two childen, a wonderful community and the calmness of a sky filled with stars and a husband who takes her in his arms and dances with her.

When Sylvie is asked to accompany the local sherrif and ride in his vehicle with her to see the happenings of the communitiy, she uses her writing skills to produce poems about her life and about what she discovers in the rural roads and the small town existence.

When she becomes sick with Phemumonia, her mother could have sung on stage with her former opera-singing partner who happens to have a concert nearby, and instead she stays home with Sylvie while her father and brother attend the concert, she learns the meaning of love and that her mother would not change anything for the wondeful life she has. ( )

Classic MacLachlan. Her novels for young people grow better and better. I related to how Sylvie was learning to let go of preconceived notions (which may keep us from the truth) because I do the same. Wonderful relationships between all ages: brother and sister, parents and children, elders and youngers. ( )

This small chapter book is another jewel from Patricia MacLachlan. World class opera singer ditches it all for love of a small town cowboy and their daughter, 10-year-old Sylvie, is pondering this fact. It seems perfectly clear to her wise-beyond-her-years younger brother Nate. He sees well beneath the surface. This wonderful look at small town life includes a plethora of haiku. ( )

What a sweet book about writing, life, ordinary events, and how we share our gifts with others. It's also perfect for a child transitioning from early chapter books to novels. ( )