Ellen Fremedon

Ellen Fremedon, by Joan Givner is another summer time story of a child with a case of the "what should I do all summer's?". Ellen Fremedon is a 12 year old girl who, much like Lucy Rose in our last novel, wants to be a writer. She goes to her local library, checks out some books on how to actually write a novel (all the while wondering how she might budget to take the time to write a novel, especially with her love of ice cream!), and begins her journey. Ellen is the daughter of a philosopher, and her mother has MS. She is also the older sister to twin boys, who she happens to find very annoying. Her best friend Jenny is a constant by her side, and encouraging in her novel writing process. Ellen worries that her novel won't be that exciting, but when her real life turns into a true crime, her novel takes a turn for the adventurous. With her twin brothers missing and found again, figuring out that her grandmother's new fiance had something to do with it, and her everyday adventures with her family, her lifetime story becomes an exciting way to spend a summer. Ellen grows, and learns a lot about being from a family why stays strong.

This novel is geared at older children, roughly grades 5-7. I enjoyed this novel, although I did find it was a bit slow to climax in some spots. This can sometimes lose the reader, but I think the big plot revelation of the twins being lost, and the grandmothers fiance having something to do with it, would hold the attention of the reader. This is another novel that would probably be geared at girls.

I would give this book a 3.5 out of 5!

Givner, Joan. (2004). Ellen Fremedon. Toronto, Ontario.

Genre: Realistic Fiction