Cari Best: 4 books

An Amazon Best Book of the Month Eleven-year-old Shirley Alice Burns lives with her domineering mother, Hurricane Anna, and loving Grandmother. One day she unexpectedly discovers that her beloved father isn’t in Absentia as her family would have her believe, but dead. And she understands...

Mabel Beecher loves Kindergarten. And she loves her teacher, Mrs. Ampersand, because she's funny and smart and makes the class work hard, but brings Popsicles every Friday if everyone really tries. But then Mrs. Ampersand announces that she's leaving for the rest of the year because she's going...

When Ava and her sister Arlie see the "Write a Poem / Win a Pet" sign in Mr. Noah's pet shop window, Ava is sure the prize is going to be a dog and convinces Arlie to enter the contest with her. The girls write the best poem they can, and while waiting and hoping to win, they decide that...

When Charlie turns a plain cardboard box into a zippy new car, he can’t wait for Mama to have the first ride. He adjusts the mirror, checks to be sure there is enough gas, and reminds Mama to buckle up. Then off they go—REV REV VROOM! There are places to visit and bumps along the way. There is...