A Sound of Leaves Author:Lenore Blegvad "I have a tree," Sylvie whispered to herself as she stood in the bedroom that was to be hers for a whole week. She and Mom, six year old Dell, and Grandpa were staying in the small beach house Mom's cousin had lent them. Sylvie and Dell had never even been out of the city before. The tree pressed its leaves so close against her window that Sylvi... more »e knew if the window were open they would reach right into the room--only nothing would open it. Even Grandpa couldn't, and Dad, who could fix anything, had to stay in the city and work.
Still, things would almost have been perfect. But then Mom slipped while climbing the seawall from the beach and cut her leg badly, upsetting all their plans. Instead, Sylvie got to know Clair, the girl who lived in the big white house on the corner. But Clair's friends turned out to be much less friendly to Sylvie. She even overheard them call her a "slum kid."
The way in which Sylvie comes to terms with such hurtful treatment and, in the end, finds a new friend, makes this an encouraging and heartwarming story, the spirit of which is caught in pencil illustrations of great sensitivity by a master artist.« less