Unclaimed Treasures

Willa does fall in love, but it isn't at all the way she dreamed it would be.

And just what is extraordinary? Willa and twin brother Nicky's mother is going to have a baby-how ordinary. Their friend Horace's mother has left to "seek her fortune." That, Willa thinks, is extraordinary.

Willa is on the verge of learning something important. And by the end of the long summer, Willa, Nicky, and Horace each do something extraordinary and unforgettable.

She spends the quiet mornings standing in an ivory dress, certain that Horace’s painter father is the solemn true love she has been watching for. Across the yard, Nicky sketches the hidden roots of the garden and studies the dying apple tree. The great-aunts next door warned that its brittle branches were strictly forbidden, an announcement Nicholas treats as an open invitation.

• Coming of Age: Willa compiles lists to separate ordinary chores from extraordinary feats, trying to understand why adults find joy in everyday routines and what makes a life truly significant.
• Sibling Dynamics: Eleven-year-old twins Willa and Nicky share a quiet understanding, whether Nicky is capturing Willa’s upside-down antics in his sketchbook or Willa is fiercely protecting her family from meddling strangers.
• Found Family: An eccentric neighborhood gathers around the twins, including two great-aunts who rehearse outdoor Beethoven duets while chasing cats, and an elderly friend who walks his outspoken parrot on a leash.
• Also by This Author: Sarah, Plain and Tall, Skylark and Caleb’s Story.