Beautiful Alert!

3/22/2019

The Becket List by Adele Griffin ill LeUyen Pham

"Country life sure is quiet," I say "Not with you in it," murmurs Caroline.

Meet the irrepressible Becket. When her veterinarian parents decide to leave the city and relocate in the country, Rebecca is ready to go. She wants to take on a new country persona, requesting to be called Becket and creating a list of all the new experiences she plans to have on the farm. Not everyone shares her enthusiasm. Older sister Caroline is devastated, as she must leave friends. Twin brother Nicolas finds that his perceived ailments are even worse. Then there's Mr. Fancypants, the pug that has always been a member of the family but has slowed down and isn't much fun anymore.

Living with her family on grandmother's Blackberry Farm, isn't quite what Becket envisioned. Collecting eggs can be painful when Laying Godiva, Gran's prize New Hampshire Red hen, defends her eggs by viciously pecking Becket. There is a lemonade stand fiasco, when Becket discovers the importance of sweeteners. Summer day camp is not the friend-fest she thought it would be. And sometimes helping the launch of a camper’s miniature boat is not helpful.

This camp has been a bran muffin amount of fun, not a banana split with three cherries and sprinkles amount of fun.

Becket dreams of owning a different dog, whom she decides will be named Noble. She hopes for either a Labrador or German shepherd that will perform tricks, play catch, and run with her through the countryside. Instead, she finds herself pampering Mr. Fancypants, coating his heart pills in peanut butter and carrying him up and down the stairs.

Throughout the summer her list of good things about country life goes through multiple revisions. Some unexpected items Becket adds to her list include driving a tractor and catching a runaway llama.

Becket receives her share of both real and figurative lemons. Her attempts to "make lemonade" out of difficult situations don’t always pan out. But the girl who prefers grooming the old mule and donkey to shopping, who makes mistakes and then tries to make amends, and who constantly discovers the wonder of life with her Beautiful Alerts is the kind of friend I want. Thanks Adele Griffin and LeUyen Pham for this little charmer. More stories from Blackberry Farm please.

Outside, the big old moon is glowing yellow over the fields.
”Beautiful Alert,” I whisper.

Have You Met These Girls?

If you enjoyed The Becket List, here are four girls who know their own minds and aren't afraid to speak up and take action. These cover images let you know that these girls mean business. Terrific series for young readers.