Melody, 10, lives in the small Indiana town of Royal with her father, and she doesn't think much about her mother, who died when she was born. But after Melody hears her father call someone "Honey" on the phone and begins to notice his distracted ways, she's quick to realize something's up mething that might mean big changes in her life. This simple, sweet story is cleverly told from several viewpoints, which is a choice not often seen in books for this age group (especially since one of the viewpoints belongs to a dog). As Melody tries to find the reason for her father's surprise happiness, a woman named Bee-Bee opens a local nail shop, where she makes her own glorious colors of polish, and Mo, the dog, remembers a pretty blonde. Weeks pulls these stories together in a straightforward yet elegant way that will please children. Peopled with a (mostly) fresh crew of characters (including a grandfather who smokes in the garage after disconnecting himself from his oxygen tank), this elevates the typical fare for this age group.

Gr 3-5 At the center of Weeks's sweetly titled novel, is Melody, a 10-year-old girl whose mother died when she was born and who has spent her whole life with her father in Royal, IN. As the book opens, Melody notices that her father is distractedburning food, whistling "You Are My Sunshine," and, most concerning, calling someone "Honey." A visit from Teeny Nelson, her six-year-old neighbor, confirms Melody's suspicion that her father has, in Teeny's words, "been bitten by the love bug." Along with her friend, Nick Woo, and a cast of winning supporting characters, Melody sets out to discover "Honey's" identity. At the same time, in passages that may be confusing to younger readers, a dog named Mo has a mystery of his own to solve. He dreams about a girl he knows he's supposed to be with, but first he has to find her. Much of the novel's action takes place in the Bee Hive, a local salon owned by a woman named Bee-Bee Churchill who can fill in the missing pieces of Melody's storyand is known for her homemade nail polish. Weeks has a good eye for the details of Melody's lifeher anxiety about school, her love for her father and grandfather, and her need to learn more about her mother. Recommend this warm and good-hearted novel to fans of Kate Dicamillo's Because of Winn-Dixie (Candlewick, 2000). Shelley Sommer, Inly School, Scituate, MA