Hour of the Bees

Carolina is forced to spend her summer with her family helping ready her grandfather's home for sale. Carol hasn't had much contact with her dad's father and at first she is put off by his gruff manner and his Alzheimer's. But she gradually becomes charmed with his stories of a lake in the desert, a healing tree, and bees that will bring the rain.

I picked up this book at BEA and decided to take it along with me to New Mexico last week solely because the story is set in New Mexico. I was amazed to find a book for kids with thoughtful writing, intriguing character development, and beautiful magic realism.