The Brilliant Fall

I'm always reluctant to let go of summer, but it's time to face the new season bearing down on us.  Which I shall now do by introducing this novel:



Kate Messner's The Brilliant Fall of Gianna Z., in which a "12-year-old girl has until the end of the week to finish her huge 7th grade leaf project, but she faces comic catastrophes (and real drama) at every turn."

I had to do a leaf-identification project when I was in school.  I still remember the thrill of discovering that the tree behind my hou...