REVIEW: JUST FOR YOU TO KNOW

This week, I read JUST FOR YOU TO KNOW by Independence, Missouri author, Cheryl Harness.

JUST FOR YOU TO KNOW takes place in 1963 as Carmen Cathcart and her five younger brothers move from a beat-up old house in the country to a fixer-upper in Independence, Missouri—-the tenth home in which almost-13-year-old Carmen has lived. She’s embarrassed by her family and would rather daydream and draw than spend time with these crazy, noisy people.

After the big move, Carmen makes a new best friend and starts junior high, but the most dramatic change comes when another Cathcart baby is born. The reader embarks on an emotional journey with Carmen as she learns to appreciate her family while struggling to maintain her individuality and hold onto her dreams.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and could not put it down! Cheryl Harness creates a captivating world with bits of history interspersed throughout. This comes as no surprise because Cheryl is a prolific author and illustrator of historical non-fiction and fiction, with 25 books in print (and several more in the works). If you enjoyed THE PENDERWICKS or BECAUSE OF WINN DIXIE, you’ll love JUST FOR YOU TO KNOW.