There You Are

Nominated for the CLA's Children's Book of the Year Award for 2005 Finalist for the 2005/2006 Hackmatack Award World War II is not long past and life is returning to normal in Cape Breton's lovely Margaree Valley. But Jeannie Shaw is achingly lonely. Among the thirteen families in her community, there is no one who is potential friend material, and that includes her troublesome four-year-old sister. When the Parker family moves back to the Valley, Jeannie is thrilled. Perhaps among the children is a girl her age. All these thoughts are put aside when a near tragedy strikes Jeannie's family. Through the hardship she finally finds a friend in the most unexpected way. Joanne Taylor's first novel is a small masterpiece by turns funny and heartbreaking full of finely observed moments and carefully drawn, very human, characters.

<b>Joanne Taylor</b> is the third of ten children, born in New Glasgow and raised in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. She worked with CUSO in Sierra Leone, West Africa, and lived in England for several years. Her first book, <i>Full Moon Rising,</i> illustrated by Susan Tooke, was nominated for several awards, and was named one of the best picture books of 2002 by <i>Maclean’s</i> magazine. Joanne, her husband, and two daughters all live happily in Halifax.