In the Country of Queens

By Cari Best

Shirley must find her voice to uncover family secrets and pursue her dreams.

3.1/5 Goodreads · 39 ratings

224 pages

$16.99Save 7%

In stock. Also at Amazon or Bookshop.

Bookroo's summary

In 1961, eleven-year-old Shirley Alice Burns discovers her father is not absent but dead, a truth hidden by her protective mother. To break free from her sheltered life, Shirley must find her voice. With the help of a mouse, her cousin Phillie, and her hero Pippi Longstocking, she embarks on a journey to confront her family's secrets. Can Shirley convince her mother that she no longer needs protection and embrace the truth about her father? Her courage will determine if she can finally live the life she dreams of.

From the publisher

An Amazon Best Book of the Month Eleven-year-old Shirley Alice Burns lives with her domineering mother, Hurricane Anna, and loving Grandmother. One day she unexpectedly discovers that her beloved father isn’t in Absentia as her family would have her believe, but dead. And she understands all too well why they haven’t told her; she’s always been shy and quiet, and Anna has always been protective of her. But if Shirley doesn’t start speaking up, she isn’t going to be able to do the things she wants to do: go on vacation to Lake Winnipesaukee with her cousins, stop taking ballet lessons, and talk about her father. Through the help of a mouse, her hero Pippi Longstocking, and her cousin Phillie, Shirley finds the strength to give her dreams a voice and convince everyone, even Hurricane Anna, that she doesn’t need to be sheltered, especially from the truth. In the Country of Queens is the debut novel from acclaimed picture-book author Cari Best.

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