CODY AND THE FOUNTAIN OF HAPPINESS

Well-meaning Cody is excited about the first day of her summer vacation.

First Cody communes with her beloved ants, and then she wakes her 14-year-old brother, Wyatt, with her special rendition of “You are My Sunshine.” But Wyatt’s no fun—if he can’t sleep, he would rather think about science or his crush on popular Payton Underwood. Meeting visiting Spencer and his grandmother’s deaf cat, MewMew, brightens Cody’s mood. Spencer is younger than Cody and glum that his parents are away, but he is drawn to sunny Cody and her promise to hypnotize the cat. Cody wants to help everyone, but things go awry. Her mother’s trial promotion to Head of Shoes is threatened when her boss finds Cody’s thoughtless note; Cody gets in the middle of her brother’s romantic life; and MewMew goes missing, all because of Cody. It’s hard not to cheer for Cody, with her sunny disposition and penchant for optimistic similes. Frequent black-and-white illustrations show a short-haired Cody and her bespectacled, curly-haired, brown-skinned friend enjoying the joys and sadness that summer friendships bring. Secondary characters are fully fleshed, allowing for a deep, satisfying reading experience for children ready for longer books.

Cody is sure to make friends with many readers, who will cross their fingers and hope for further adventures.