OZZIE ON HIS OWN

In this sequel to Roz and Ozzie (1992), Ozzie, eight, is spending the summer alone. With Roz away in England with her parents for two months, he is out of things to do. His hobbies and his talent for tripping innocently into trouble fail to keep him from boredom. He makes new friends, who launch a club in an old chicken coop; just when summer is looking brighter, Ozzie's father has a heart attack and is hospitalized. A delicate b&w drawing conveys the sad moment when the paramedics drive away, and is characteristic of the illustrations effectively placed throughout. Hurwitz, known for her middle-grade fiction, has written a gently affecting story with the same lighthearted touch she uses for comedy. No big tearjerker, this is a simple, poignant recounting of events by an ordinary boy. Ozzie is real; his fears and concerns are palpable. The details of everyday life glow with the warmth of good hearts and close families. (Fiction. 7+)