Lisa Williams Kline continues to explore the tumultuous yet loving relationship between two stepsisters in her third book in the popular Sisters in All Seasons series, BLUE AUTUMN CRUISE (Zonderkidz; $10.99; November 2012).
In the year since their parents’ wedding, the relationship between Diana, 15, and Stephanie, 14, has had its share of ups and downs. The two dodged serious trouble when they unleashed caged wolves in Summer of the Wolves, and tried to find who was responsible for the injuries of a horse in Wild Horse Spring. In BLUE AUTUMN CRUISE, the siblings are once again in hot water.
This time, Diane and Stephanie come across an endangered iguana while aboard a family cruise to Grand Cayman island, a celebration to mark the 75th birthday of Stephanie’s grandmother. Diana, the animal lover, discovers the curious reptile and decides to tuck him inside the room she shares with her sister. But when the sisters learn this animal may be a part of illegal activity by duplicitous shipmates, the girls struggle to make the right decision.
To complicate matters further, Diana and Stephanie’s rocky friendship is tested when Lauren, Stephanie’s cousin, enters the picture, leaving Diana to be the awkward third wheel. What’s more, Stephanie has found a secret admirer, for whom the feeling may be mutual. With so much happening during what was supposed to be a tranquil family vacation, will the girls be able maintain their tenuous sisterly bond?
Kline expertly captures the emotions of these wonderful characters and many teens today. She sensitively crafts situations familiar to so many girls. This eagerly-awaited third book touches on such dramatic issues as a first kiss and a parent’s divorce. Readers will take comfort in learning that intimidating moments can be blessings, and that blended families don’t have to be divided ones.
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ABOUT LISA WILLIAMS KLINE:
Lisa Williams Kline has written several books, including 2012’s Sisters in all Seasons series, Write Before Your Eyes, The Princesses of Atlantis, and Eleanor Hill, which earned the North Carolina Juvenile Literature Award. She is the mother of two grown daughters, and lives in Mooresville, North Carolina, with her husband. www.lisawilliamskline.com