Being Youngest

Lyrical writing and an original premise spin this novel of friendship to a funky rural stratosphere all its own. Henry and Gretchen are two country kids in Iowa. Both are youngest in their families, misunderstood and as lonely as it is possible to be. When they find each other, they believe it's like a miracle: ""They were telling each other something, a little signal flashing between them."" One day, they decide to ride their bikes down the driveway of an old couple whom everyone suspects is crazy. There they find adventure and escape from their dreary home lives--but are the old woman and man really as sweet as they seem? Treading the edge of fantasy, the novel (a hybrid with elements of Hansel and Gretel and The Wizard of Oz) swirls with fat lemon meringue pies, geese in the attic and six-legged lambs, a pair of false teeth and a really big tornado. But it never strays from its overall theme of the amazing grace of finding a friend who understands you. Heynen (One Room Schoolhouse) has a consistent and clever ear for dialogue (as in this typical non sequitur exchange between Henry and Gretchen: ""This old lady, she's my grandma, she lives in the basement and is supposed to cook for us and stuff. She's mean. I don't like her much. Talk about the pits, Granny's the pits."" ""I never knew nobody with a dead mother before."") This polished yet quirky novel may not be everyone's cup of tea, but it's a challenging and ultimately satisfying read. Ages 10-up. (Sept.)