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Half a Chance

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By DeeDee
 Cover image for Half a chance
Half a Chance
By Cynthia Lord
Scholastic, 2014. Realistic Fiction, 218 p.

Lucy has moved to a new town on a lake in New Hampshire.  She quickly becomes friend with the boy next door, Nate, who is visiting his grandmother for the summer.  Together they get involved in helping Nate's grandmother keep track of the loons for a bird preservation group.  Lucy is also a photographer, like her father, and decides to secretly enter a contest for which her father is the judge.  As Lucy and Nate search for good pictures, and keep track of the loons, Lucy takes a great photograph that is offensive to Nate. Lucy has to decide if winning the photography contest is worth risking her friendship with Nate. Lord has created rich characters that deal with heart-wrenching questions about being willing to face both the beauty and the pain of life. This is a good title for kids interested in photography or who just like a good story about friendship.
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