Sophie's Friend in Need: Further Adventures of Sophie Alias Star Girl

Anne Hutchings, a former elementary-school teacher-librarian with the
Durham Board of Education, is an educational consultant.

French-Canadian Sophie LaGrange is about to experience camp for the
first time. Though she’s never been away from home before, Sophie is
excited about the prospect, especially since she has her superhero Star
Girl’s Super Bounce Ball with her for good luck.

When Sophie’s partner for the week turns out to be a sullen refugee
girl, things don’t look too promising. Ginette not only looks
different, but her behaviour is really odd. Nevertheless, Sophie soon
learns that there are very good reasons why Ginette acts so strangely:
she is a Holocaust survivor. It turns out that Sophie and Ginette have
more in common than originally expected. Ginette, too, has her own
special talisman, her dreidel, and both girls’ fathers used to sing
“Au Claire de la lune” to them. Despite their differences, the two
become real buddies.

Though some of the escapades in which Sophie and Ginette become
involved are somewhat implausible (paddling around Howe Sound at night
in a storm holding on to a log), there is enough action, humour, and
suspense to keep preteen girls turning the pages. The mini history
lesson about the Holocaust is a bonus. Recommended.