Review: The Boy on Cinnamon Street - Phoebe Stone

Where I got it: Finished copy from publisher
Rating: 3.5 stars  

Cover Rating: 5 stars (Soooo cute!)
Genre: Middle Grade

Publication Date: February 1, 2012

Publisher: Scholastic Press

Page Count: 234 p.

Buy it: Book Depository / Amazon
Add it: Goodreads

Louisa used to be on the gymnastics team, she used to live on Cinnamon Street, she used to be called Louisa. Now, everything is different. Louisa has changed her name to Thumbelina, since she's under five feet tall but she's in 7th grade. One day there's a note under her doormat address to her which reads: "I'm your biggest fan." She wonders who it could be from, but this isn't the end of these strange little notes. She consults her two best friends to help her track down the boy who is in love with her. She may be looking in the wrong places though. She also still isn't sure if she can feel anything yet, not since what happened back on Cinnamon Street.

Louisa was a tad bit hard to relate to. I'm not sure what it was. Maybe her insecurities or maybe her numbness. She lives with her grandparents who are quite eccentric. You know the type. She has two best friends, who happen to be brother and sister. Louisa kept trying to insert herself into her friends' family, but she didn't really belong there, they weren't really her family. I liked that this book was not as cutesy as it first seemed. I do adore that cover though. I really loved under the jacket too, it had the raindrop pattern from the back cover. This book dealt with a lot of issues though, which I enjoyed. It was nice seeing someone fairly young dealing with these issues. Louisa was definitely marred by her tragedy and it made her character a completely different person. I loved Henderson. He would be a great guy pal, always with his nose stuck in a book. Spouting out facts like a raincloud. I always love quirky fact-addicted characters. I loved the last thing Louisa receives. It was perfect and really drew the whole thing together. Of course she's a complete idiot for not realizing things before, but it happens. Definitely check this book out, it was a great read.

First Line:
"My name used to be Louise but it's not anymore."

Favorite Line:
"The windows are open and I can hear Henderson's dinosaurs chirping and singing outside in the flowering trees along the street."