Pinkie's Turnabout - by Sue Lloyd-Davies (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

Eleven-year-old Pinkie Starlight is having a not-great summer. Her best friend is off at camp to make pine-cone necklaces or maybe new friends. Pinkie's Great Gran says friends are easier lost than found, but she doesn't always remember her own friends, how to use the remote or that Pinkie isn't her precious daughter who got run over by a car. When Jack, a snarky stray cat, slips uninvited into the house, GG seems like her old self. Turns out, Jack's not just any cat and has mysterious memories tied to GG's past, more than nine lives, and magical abilities. Pinkie sets her sights on adopting him and must find a way to earn the money to keep him-- and his secret. Just when things are starting to fall into place, the bully Pinkie managed to avoid at school shows up where least expected and she makes one mistake after another, jeopardizing her chances to save Jack and GG.

Review Quotes

"Sue Lloyd-Davies has written a novel filled with equal parts humor, heart, and suspense--not an easy feat. Readers will be rooting for Pinkie as she discovers a long-held family secret and learns that things aren't always how they seem on the surface. Two paws up for Pinkie and her sidekick, a quirky cat named Jack, that you'll fall in love with. Kids will love it!"
--Dorian Cirrone, award-winning author of The First Last Day

"Pinkie's Turnabout is one of the best middle grade novels I've read in a long while. Pinkie learns a lot about growing up supported by an interesting cast of characters. I was especially drawn to Leo, a bully with a secret. And Pinkie's grandmother, GG, will melt your heart. Though this book deals with the serious topics of bullying and Alzheimer's, the touch of magic provided by Jack, a snarky, talking cat, will make you laugh out loud. I highly recommend Pinkie's Turnabout!"
--Shannon Hitchcock, award-winning author of Ruby Lee & Me and Dancing in the Storm

"Pinkie Starlight, one of the most responsible, funny, and interesting kids you'll meet in middle-grade fiction. Although Pinkie helps her great-grandmother put together puzzles to help with her memory, the pieces are becoming bigger and bigger. Jack the cat seems to have more than nine lives, memories that connect with GG's and magical skills to amaze readers and Pinkie alike. A perfect read-aloud for 3rd-6th graders, Pinkie's Turnabout will spark discussions, while being fun to read, just the right length, and filled with feisty and endearing characters."
--Augusta Scattergood, librarian (retired) and award-winning author of Glory Be

"Pinkie's Turnabout is a warm and sensitively written coming-of-age story that explores what it's like to grow up in a family affected by loss and secrets and the importance of looking deep within yourself and facing up to your own flaws instead of taking things (and people) at face value. The writing is spare and poetic and doesn't waste a single word. Jack's anthropomorphism is clever and believable, never once tipping over into sentimentality, and the rest of the characterization is brilliantly done too. This is a story that readers young and old alike will be able to relate to and enjoy. I absolutely loved it!"
--Emma Pass, award-winning author of Acid

"Pinkie's Turnabout is a layered story and an appealing pick for middle grade readers. An entertaining, heartfelt story and a great pick for classroom reading and discussion, all ages will find value in its themes of love and forgiveness, becoming self-aware, not judging by appearance, and the unmasking of subtle prejudices that often go unrecognized. Conflicts and troubles abound for Pinkie at every turn, but love and forgiveness win out in the end in a way that will make your heart grow three sizes. Never preachy, never didactic, the story shows through action and event how to be a better person."
--Clara Gillow Clark, writing coach and award-winning author of Hill Hawk Hattie and Hattie on Her Way

"Middle schoolers will relate to Pinkie's triumphs and mistakes as she learns about cats and about people, who are not always who they seem at first. Author Sue Lloyd-Davies creates a lyrical account of Pinkie's emotional journey and growth. Pinkie draws on GG's 'library of epigrams, ' such as 'blowing out someone else's candle doesn't make yours shine any brighter.' These wise sayings and Lloyd-Davies's striking metaphors--'my heart thumps like boots in a dryer'-- will stick with readers long after they finish Pinkie's Turnabout."
--Sylvia Whitman, award-winning author of The Milk of Birds and If You Meet the Devil, Don't Shake Hands

"Charming and engaging with whimsical flourishes, Pinkie's Turnabout is a story about growing up and respecting the past. Lessons of compassion--sometimes learned the hard way--twine seamlessly with Pinkie's pluck and spirit and Jack's snark and wisdom to make Pinkie's Turnabout not just a delightfully fun a tale of a girl and a talking cat, but a relatable story about finding the good in others and helping it to shine."
--Steph Post, award-winning author of Miraculum

"An uplifting story about second chances, unlikely friendships, and the wisdom that comes from admitting you were wrong."
--Jan Eldredge, award-winning author of Nimbus

"Sue Lloyd Davies has written a fun and warm-hearted tale of empathy, forgiveness, and secrets revealed. Pinkie Starlight's hard-won friendships cross divides of age, misunderstandings, even species! Not since Garfield have we seen a cat-with-attitude like Jack, the wise, sarcastic, talking tomcat at the heart of this generous novel. Who says black cats are unlucky?"
--JJ Fleming, author of Wonders of Shadow Key

About the Author

Sue lives and writes in quirky Gulfport, Florida, where her adored black cat, Arlo, loafs next to her keyboard for company and inspiration. Caring for her mother, who had dementia, became the spark that ignited Pinkie. When she's not writing, Sue spends as much time as possible outside under the oaks, home to her rescue squirrels. She loves line dancing, playing Scrabble and DOS with her partner, and sharing time with treasured friends. You can visit her online at www.suelloyddavies.com.