Eugenia Lincoln and the Unexpected Package

August 1, 2017

Gr 1-3-Someone has sent Eugenia Lincoln an unexpected package. Readers who recognize the uptight, domineering, elderly elder sister from the series will know that Eugenia does not like surprises. When the surprise turns out to be something as frivolous as an accordion, it simply must go. What follows is a humorous adventure as Eugenia struggles to return, sell, destroy, and finally accept the despised musical instrument. Many residents of Deckawoo Drive make appearances and give opinions on what poor Eugenia should do. Finally, only one real question remains: Who dared send the accordion in the first place? Van Dusen's illustrations enliven the already amusing text. VERDICT A great addition to chapter book shelves and a must-have for fans of the series.-Kelly Roth, Bartow County Public Library, Cartersville, GA

Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

August 1, 2017
Mercy Watson's neighbors, the Lincoln Sisters of 52 Deckawoo Drive, return in their second adventure, and now it's elder sister Eugenia's turn in the spotlight.Eugenia Lincoln is a sensible, no-nonsense, practical person. She does not have time for "poetry, geegaws, whoop-de-whoops, or frivolity," and she definitely does not have time for oversize, unexpected packages. However, someone has sent Eugenia just that. It's an accordion, and it has to go--she can't think of anything more "frivolous, more geegaw-esque, more whoop-de-whoop-ish than an accordion." The Blizzintrap Schmocker Company won't take it back, so she makes a list of the choices before her: sell it, destroy it, or give it away. Can Eugenia be convinced to keep it--and that maybe there is music in her heart? Artwork shows what the text doesn't: elderly Eugenia's younger sister, "Baby," is also an old white woman, and neighborhood kids Frank and Stella are black. The text is peppered with tough vocabulary for the more advanced independent readers in the intended age group, but the story also works well as a bedtime read-aloud for those not ready to tackle words and phrases such as "malevolent," "obtuse," or "diametrically opposed" on their own. Eugenia's need for routine and her intolerance of change and uncertainty will resonate with readers who experience life similarly. (Fiction. 6-9)

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September 1, 2017
Grades 1-4 The fourth installment in the Tales from Deckawoo Drive series focuses on Baby Lincoln's cantankerous older sister, Eugenia. When the no-nonsense spinster receives a mystery package, she is unsettled by the intrusion, annoyed that the box contains an accordion, and adamant that she will not learn to play it. But a visit from Gaston, a mysterious stranger who claims he can bring joy to Eugenia through music, begins to thaw her heart, and a later encounter with neighbor child Stella brings out Eugenia's inner musician. Van Dusen's artwork (not seen in final form) appears on most spreads, helping to break up the text for younger readers and giving form to DiCamillo's quirky characters. As in the earlier books, believable (if eccentric) personalities, sophisticated vocabulary, and polished prose make this an inviting title for emerging chapter-book readers. Fans of this series and the earlier Mercy Watson books will be amazed by Eugenia's partial redemption and delight that the results are merely temporary.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)

January 1, 2018
Stern, rigid Eugenia and her sweet sister Baby are back for a fourth transitional-reader adventure, in which Eugenia mysteriously receives an accordion in the mail. When her various schemes for getting rid of the "frivolous" instrument are foiled, Eugenia finally unbends enough to experience the satisfaction of making music. The writing is as lively as ever, as are the frequent black-and-white illustrations.

(Copyright 2018 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)