Karin Cates. Secret Remedy Book. Illustrated by Wendy Anderson Halperin. Orchard Books Scholastic Inc., 2003. ISBN 0439352266. $16.95. Unpaginated. Reviewer: Vicky M. Turner Reading Level: Primary, Intermediate Rating: Excellent Genre: Contemporary Realistic Stories; Humorous Stories; Subject: Family-Juvenile fiction; Nature-Juvenile fiction; Growing up-Juvenile fiction; Books-Reviews; Auntie Zep's house always holds marvelous things. Lolly only wishes she could stay with Auntie Zep without the rest of the family. One year her parents decide that she may stay for one whole month, but after the family has left, Lolly begins to feel a little homesick. Of course, Auntie Zep has just the thing: a "Secret Remedy Book" -- a book that has seen deserts and oceans. A book that is covered with old wall paper and splotched with spills and splatters. A book that contains dried flowers and leaves. A book that is written in a wonderful spidery hand that looks as if it wants Lolly to hurry up and feel better. The book contains a warning that all seven things must be done before the first hoot of the owl or the spell will not work. A book that keeps Lolly and Auntie Zep much too busy to be homesick. What a wonderful way to spend a vacation, learning to love your family and the earth around you.
