THE CAT ACROSS THE WAY

Newcomer neurosis. Ten-year-old Lacey doesn't know whether the Cleveland kids are making fun of her or are just different from those at rural Three Corners. Missing her pony, she also misses friend Pam who neglects to write much about Laccy's former pet. When Lacey first sees the yellow cat across the rooftops, she doesn't think he belongs to anyone, so she is doubly surprised when that someone turns out to be developing friend Rosetta diNalli, an equally serious animal lover. The two have a tiff and the friendship almost ends before it starts; then quite early one morning Lacey happens to see yellow cat caught on the fence and her rescue brings the girls back together again. Very real in parts (the frustration of getting lost at school, city -fed suspicions) but too much said about the inside story.