Cassidy, Cathy (text) Sara Flavell (illus.): Angel Cake.

[A] CASSIDY, Cathy (text) Sara Flavell (illus.) Angel Cake Puffin, 2009 207pp $14.95 pbk ISBN 9780141325170 SCIS 1411243

Anya, her sister, Kazia, and her mother leave grandparents and friends in their home town in Poland to join their father and husband in Britain where he went to find work and a better life for his family. The wonderful life promised by Anya's father isn't quite the way he described it. London is dreary, cold and wet. The picture perfect house they were promised is a drab fiat above a chip shop and high school for Anya is a big and scary place where she finds she is a novelty and a joke.

This is Anya's story--her meeting with Dan, definitely no Angel, making friends and along with it a new life. Suddenly her life is turned upside down again--her parents preparing to return to Poland, but Anya finds she most decidedly doesn't want to leave her new life. This is a charming coming of age story, Anya is a wonderful heroine and Dan a surprise package. I would strongly recommend this story to the 12-15 year olds who will enjoy the unlikely friendships, romance and the story of the challenges inherent in making a new life in a foreign country.

[A] An outstanding book of its kind as recommended by the reviewer