Reviewed by elvinagb on

5 of 5 stars

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Lucretia and the Kroons by Victor LaValle, Spiegel & Grau for Random House, 2012, 164 pages. ARC, eBook
For twelve year old Lucretia “Loochie” Gardner a perfect birthday party would be to have all her best friends come to her party. But her very best friend, Sunny, is in Memphis at St. Jude’s Hospital getting treatment for cancer. Three of her other friends have come the small, two bedroom apartment that Lucretia shares with her mom for a small party. Loochie, as she is known to her family, saves some birthday cake to share with her friend when she returns from her hospital stay so they can have their own party after Christmas. The two girls plan on spending a quiet afternoon together to celebrate as Loochie’s mom goes to spend the afternoon with Louis, Loochie’s older brother.
She tires of waiting for Sunny and goes upstairs via the fire escape so see what his taking her friend so long and is shocked to see how weak and ill her friend is. She goes back downstairs to wait. It isn’t long before disaster strikes and Loochie must put aside all her fears and brave going into what can only be described as hell to try and rescue her best friend from the Kroons, the monsters in apartment 6D.
Sometimes children must face some terrors that no one should have to face at a young age. Losing a dear, close friend to cancer and the trauma of having to go on without them is almost too much to bear. This novella is great look at the power of friendship and the courage that a child can have when coming face to face with real monsters.

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  • Started reading
  • 9 August, 2012: Finished reading
  • 9 August, 2012: Reviewed