MOM FOR MAYOR

It was just not possible, but the sign on Lenox Field read “For Sale.” To make matters worse, it’s snotty Caitlin’s father who’s responsible. Determined to save his favorite park, fifth-grader Eric Clark enlists the help of his best friend, Jon. Together they set out to get Eric’s mother elected mayor, even if it does take a while to get her on board with the idea. Eric is so busy walking petitions around the neighborhood, missing recess to do research and printing up signs that he barely notices he’s learning a lot about democracy and government along the way. Somewhere between trying to gain his father’s trust and trying to get his mom elected, Eric realizes that sometimes things are not as clear-cut as they may seem. Black-and-white illustrations accent the rather conventional story. (Fiction. 7-10)