Lovely. ?áSubtle. ?áThe kind of book that's never been hugely popular, and seems even harder to find lately. ?áInstead of adventure, with themes of courage or friendship & loyalty, the themes here are more about the rites of childhood and the rights of children. ?áOrphanages have changed a lot since the time of Oliver Twist, but they're still bustling crowded places that can't really help a child from feeling unwanted.

?áNormally I'd consider a child like Robin whiny and self-absorbed, but Allan has a gift for showing us how hard it is for a quiet girl who doesn't want to get involved in a social scene, a bookish girl who'd rather walk the countryside than go shopping in a resort town, to get along in a Home. ?áWe get to know several girls well enough to see various kinds of coping behaviors - all of which evoke thoughts of motifs of freedom, choice, imagination, and self-reliance.

There aren't very many illustrations, but they, too, are evocative and apt. ?áI recommend this book for ages 12 up. ( )