Leo and the Lesser Lion

August 10, 2009
In the midst of the Great Depression, headstrong 12-year-old Mary Bayliss Pettigrew lives a somewhat lonely life in Lenore, Ala. Her touchstone is her fun-loving brother Leo, until he drowns in Sweet Springs Lake. Tormented by the question of why she survived (“What sense did it make to love a cat—or a person—when God could just snatch them away from you at any moment?”), Bayliss searches for her “special purpose” in order to bring Leo’s spirit back. Sensitive and hardworking, she slowly develops the strength to incorporate the pain of the past with the joy of the present. She’s set her mind on becoming a nun when her parents decide to take in two orphans. At first Bayliss resents these “weary travelers,” but despite the family’s temporary poverty, she learns to love again. Forrester’s (the Beatrice Bailey series) tale is replete with period charm and solid dialogue, and carries a clear message of selflessness: “When you put somebody else’s needs ahead of your own, you just might end up getting something you
need in return.” Ages 8–12.

November 1, 2009
Gr 4-7-In this story set in Alabama during the Depression, 12-year-old Bayliss describes her love for her big brother, Leo, and their fun-filled pranks. Wherever Leo was, Bayliss couldn't be far behind. But one tragic day, an accident takes his life while she is spared, and she questions why. A nurse suggests that it's a miracle and that there must be a reason she was saved, and Bayliss decides to find her life's purpose. She researches saints and thinks she might become a nun, a change from her former spunky behavior. She is determined to have a charitable activity and decides to help nuns with the "weary travelers" at the hobo camp. The local orphanage is filled to capacity and her parents bring two sisters into their home until permanent placement can be found. Bayliss resents this intrusion, but wonders if these two girls are her charitable contribution. The entire family questions their Catholic beliefs and the actions of God. Quirky and thought-provoking, This novel takes readers on a personal journey of discovery. Forrester's depth of insight into the memorable characters she has developed and the emotions she mines make for a satisfying readone that will cause readers to question their purpose and hug their families."Helen Foster James, University of California at San Diego"

Copyright 2009 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

November 1, 2009
Grades 3-6 Its a miracle that Mary Bayliss Pettigrew is alive. Everybody in Lenore, Alabama, says so. Why, she should have died in the swimming accident that killed her much-loved older brother Leo in that awful spring of 1932. With a little adult encouragement, 12-year-old Bayliss decides that God has spared her for a special purpose. But deciding to become a nun is her very own idea, and a startling one for the notorious tomboy prankster. And, sure enough, her vocation is soon tested when her parents take in two homeless little girls, give them Leos old bedroom, and make Bayliss their full-time babysitter. Set during the Great Depression, Forresters novel suffers a bit from its slow pace and some overly familiar characters and situations. Nevertheless, it offers a convincing picture of a time of privation in the American South (though one wonders why there seem to be no black people in Lenore) and Baylisss crises of conscience are believable and emotionally engaging.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2009, American Library Association.)

January 1, 2010
In 1930s Lenore, Alabama, twelve-year-old Bayliss survives an accident that kills her older brother, Leo. Trying to find meaning in Leo's death, Bayliss attempts to discover her own purpose in life while her family fosters two homeless girls. Forrester's moving story will resonate with readers who have experienced the loss of a loved one.

(Copyright 2010 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)