From the Bookshelf of Mock Newbery 2026…

Lemons

Melissa Savage

Start date: November 1, 2017

Finish date: November 30, 2017

Discussion: Newbery 2018

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Newbery 2018

* Our 2018 Mock Newbery Award Winner is:
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last updated Feb 14, 2018 10:53AM

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What Members Thought

Jun 04, 2017 Tamara rated it it was amazing

Shelves: middle-grade, books-read-in-2017

I loved Lemons so much when I first read it this summer with no kids around, that I chose it for my first read aloud of the year to my grade 5/6 class. Honestly, I didn't spend a lot of time analyzing why I loved it. It is touching, funny, quirky, and has characters that overcome significant hurdles with kindness—all elements for a great first read aloud.

Rereading it aloud to kids has confirmed my choice. They love it. They are rooting for Lem, are a little bit exasperated by Tobin, who has been ...more

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Jan 30, 2018 Susie rated it liked it

I saw this on several "best of" lists, but it just didn't work for me. Because I have a son who lives in San Francisco and finished this on my way to California, it seemed especially appropriate. However, the time spent on Bigfoot and the "big surprise" just didn't work for me. ...more

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May 19, 2017 Barbara rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: bullies, cooking, friendship, facing-fears, gardens, seasons, animals, elderly-characters, death, families

The small town of Willow Creek has nothing on San Francisco where Lemonade Liberty Witt has spent most of her life. But after the death of her mother when she is ten, Lemonade goes to live with the grandfather she's never met in an area that is less than familiar and has none of the charms of urban California. As she tries to adjust to life with her grandfather, Charlie, and make lemonade out of its lemons, Lemonade keeps hoping that her teacher, Miss Cotton, will want to adopt her. But while sh The small town of Willow Creek has nothing on San Francisco where Lemonade Liberty Witt has spent most of her life. But after the death of her mother when she is ten, Lemonade goes to live with the grandfather she's never met in an area that is less than familiar and has none of the charms of urban California. As she tries to adjust to life with her grandfather, Charlie, and make lemonade out of its lemons, Lemonade keeps hoping that her teacher, Miss Cotton, will want to adopt her. But while she waits, she befriends Tobin Sky who runs a detective agency whose sole intent is to record evidence of Bigfoot, the mysterious creature who some say has been known to haunt the woods in the area. Tobin decides to let Lemonade be a part of his detective work, and the two spend much of the summer checking out tips about his whereabouts and trying to make a film about Bigfoot. They even attract the attention of a scientist interested in Bigfoot and gain some media attention. Although readers will probably expect the big revelation about who's been hiding out in those woods all this time, they still may wonder if Bigfoot actually exists and be charmed by all the kindhearted neighbors who embrace Lem and Tobin. I particularly loved the elderly Mrs. Dickerson and all those cookies she baked for the kids to eat while following up on her Bigfoot tips, but I also liked watching Lemonade come into her own, even though things were rocky at points and she was surely not squeezing lemons into lemonade at certain points. It was easy to see how Tobin would find it hard to fit in with his classmates while Lem would not, but the fact that she sticks by him says something about her character. I'm thrilled to find such a strong debut novel with likeable characters and a unique focus and will look for great things from this author. She has captured so well what it's like to be ten or eleven and be true to yourself while also trying to sort out some of life's mysteries. Like many young readers, I'm a sucker for a story with an orphan, especially one so strong-willed and determined as this one. Teachers or parents searching for a book ideal for sharing aloud with their students or family members can't go wrong with this one. ...more

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Jul 19, 2017 Brenda Kahn rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2017-reading, audio, grief, friendship, grandfathers, 2017-debut, pow-mia, big-foot

Solidly told story of loss and friendship in 1975. I had a few questions about plotting but don't think kids will notice. Plus I am not fond of the narrator - I find her kid's voices quite grating and annoying - so I had to constantly get over that. While I get that Lem's mother was estranged from her father, why didn't she make arrangements for Lem then? She had plenty of time. ...more

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Jul 21, 2018 Debbie Tanner rated it really liked it

Shelves: family-stories, chapter-books, text-to-self, historical-fiction, feelings, realistic-fiction, adventure, making-a-change, mystery, sunshine-state-young-readers

After Lemonade's mother dies, Lemonade is taken to live with her grandfather in the woods. She finds a new quirky friend, Tobin, who is tracking Bigfoot. Lem has a fun, spunky voice which is easy to like and there are big themes of love, family, loyalty, as well as death, separation, and bullying. I think the kids will like this one a lot. ...more

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May 06, 2017 Quintina rated it really liked it

Shelves: fiction, juvenile, 2017

A touching and heartwarming story of a young girl, Lemonade, who has lost her mother but finds new friends and family while searching for the elusive Bigfoot.

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