Main Street #3: 'Tis the Season

by Ann M. Martin

Overview

The holiday season comes to Camden Falls in this remarkable new novel from Ann M. Martin. Christmas is coming to Camden Falls, and Flora and Ruby don't know how to feel about it; it's their first Christmas without their parents, and the memories are both happy and sad. Luckily, Flora and Ruby are surrounded by people who care about them -- from their grandmother Min to their friends Olivia and Nikki, who are dealing with challenges of their own. There's also an unexpected visitor: Flora and Ruby's aunt, whose presence promises to shake things up. It's going to be a Christmas that nobody ever forgets....

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780545295673
Publisher:	Scholastic, Inc.
Publication date:	04/01/2013
Series:	Main Street , #3
Sold by:	Scholastic, Inc.
Format:	eBook
Pages:	208
File size:	2 MB
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Ann M. Martin's The Baby-Sitters Club series sold over 176 million copies and inspired a generation of young readers. Her novels include the Main Street series, BELLE TEAL, the Newbery Honor book A CORNER OF THE UNIVERSE, HERE TODAY, A DOG'S LIFE, and ON CHRISTMAS EVE, as well as the much-loved collaborations P.S, LONGER LETTER LATER and SNAIL MAIL NO MORE with Paula Danziger, and THE DOLL PEOPLE and THE MEANEST DOLL IN THE WORLD, written with Laura Godwin and illustrated by Brian Selznick. She lives in upstate New York.

Editorial Reviews

Sisters Flora and Ruby are excited to experience their first Christmas in Camden Falls. Regrettably, this is also their first Christmas without their parents. Fortunately, the energetic sisters have made lots of friends in the pleasant little town known for its many exciting holiday traditions. They spend most of their time at “Needle and Thread,” the sewing shop where their grandmother works. Their best friends, Nikki and Olivia, help keep them busy by assisting them in creating a winter window display for the store. The girls love to help the customers and make it their business to know everyone in town. They have a great time leading the townspeople in making Christmas presents for the homeless. This activity gives Flora, Ruby, and Olivia the idea to plan a big Christmas surprise for Nikki’s needy family. Flora and Ruby maintain festive optimism even when their snooty aunt visits for Christmas. Martin makes this a fun, breezy read while touching on some serious issues such as death, child abuse, and poverty. She describes a small, cheerful town that becomes like family to Flora and Ruby. Bright pictures of the town and an illustration showing the layout of the girls’ favorite hangout helps readers picture the girls running around town. Martin writes the main characters, Flora and Ruby, caringly and thoughtfully. This story will get readers in the holiday spirit. This is the third book in Martin’s “Main Street” series. Reviewer: Julie Minnich

Children's Literature

Gr 4-7- After losing both of their parents in a car accident less than a year ago, sisters Flora and Ruby prepare to spend their first Christmas without them. Now living in Camden Falls with their grandmother Min, the girls are surrounded by thoughtful and caring neighbors, s their friends Nikki and Olivia, and get a surprise Christmas visit from Aunt Ally. The girls soon discover that they are not the only ones in Camden Falls facing challenges this Christmas season. In the third title ((Scholastic, pap. 2007) in Ann Martin's "Main Street" series, some of the difficulties facing the girls are mature in nature (abusive father, death, alcoholism), but the author handles each issue delicately, only touching on it, and the focus of the story remains on the caring relationships of the neighbors and friends. This heartwarming story, wonderfully narrated by actress Ariadne Meyers, will appeal to upper elementary girls and fans of the series.-Amy Joslyn, Fairport Public Library, NY

School Library Journal