Book Review: The Princess of Las Pulgas by C. Lee McKenzie

The Princess of Las Pulgas
by C. Lee McKenzie
Non-series

WestSide Books
ISBN-10: 1-934813-44-3
ISBN-13: 978-1-934813-44-7
Publication Date: December, 2010
List Price: $16.95

Review: "I should have stayed home sick." Don't you always feel this way when you don't want to go to school? This is what Carlie Edmund and her brother Keith Edmund feel after the death of their father in The Princess of Las Pulgas by C. Lee McKenzie. Carlie has grown up in the town of Channing. From time to time, their school's track team plays against Las Pulgas' team. The people from Channing have never liked Las Pulgas. Their track team isn't even as good as Channing's team. Carlie has bonds with people in Channing, and Keith is on their track team. When they find out that the death of their father results in a move to Las Pulgas, they aren't happy.

Carlie and Keith have just lost their father from cancer. When their mom finds out that she can't pay for their house anymore, everyone is appalled. She finds an apartment, but it ends up being in Las Pulgas. Carlie and Keith are super angry with their mom, but that doesn't change anything. Finally the big day comes and the apartment is . . . a drab. The place is filled with cobwebs and is trashed with dust bunnies. It doesn't get much better when the find out that when their neighbor is not smoking, she is swearing at her husband. Carlie feels that with every day in Las Pulgas, she is drifting more and more away from her best friend, Lena. To top it all of, she doesn't favor being the new girl. Everyone is always staring at her.

I love The Princess of Las Pulgas. It explains the feeling you get when you hear someone's voice when they aren't actually there. This adds a sense of suspense. You know that Carlie is trying to talk to her dead father, but while this is all happening, what will happen next? I didn't have to wait long to find out. I like how this book kept moving and did not drag along. Also, when C. Lee McKenzie wants to show a time lapse in the story, she summarizes it, as if Carlie was speaking. It doesn't take up unnecessary space in the book. The best thing about this book is probably how fast I got hooked on. Just by reading the short first chapters made me wonder what is going on. It made me want to read more, and eventually finish the book. If you like realistic-fiction books and reading about someone's troubles and how they are fixed, you will love this book. I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars. I suggest you read this book.

Review written by Sahaj (6th grade student).

We would like to thank JKSCommunications for providing a copy of The Princess of Las Pulgas for this review.

Have you read The Princess of Las Pulgas? How would you rate it?