Sardines

After a devastating loss, a boy with a broken family finds camaraderie with a motley group of kids in this poignant middle grade debut. Perfect for fans of Lynda Mullaly Hunt and Jennifer L. Holm. Nothing has been the same since Lucas’s older brother died. After the loss, his mom left without warning and his dad is struggling to cope. Lucas is pretty much alone, except for the other kids he hangs out with at school aftercare. There’s Cat, the star athlete; Robbie, the goofball; Anna, the popular girl; and Finn, the new kid. Between games of Sardines, a reverse hide-and-seek, the kids realize that each group member has a secret wish. If they work together, the group might be able to help make each person’s wish come true. But for that to happen, Lucas will have to find the strength to let his walls down and trust the group with his family’s secrets.