When Catherine the Great and I Were Eight! — Cari Best

Readers are in for another rousing good time with Sara and Catherine the Great

The unsinkable heroine of Three Cheers for Catherine the Great! is back!

Sara's Russian grandma, Catherine the Great, has promised to teach Sara how to float in the sea like a flower. So, on a sizzling summer day, they pile into Mr. Minsky's old car with Mama and their neighbors and set out for the beach. At first things are fine. But then they're not: there's a forgotten bathing suit, car trouble, and so many delays that everyone wonders if they'll ever get there. Everyone except Catherine the Great. With an enthusiastic “Da!” (Yes!), Sara's grandma keeps Mr. Minsky's car chugging down the road, until finally they arrive �" just in time for Sara to learn one more lesson from her beloved grandma.

With pictures full of charm and whimsy, this lively sequel to Three Cheers for Catherine the Great! demonstrates that when things go wrong, a positive attitude can make all the difference.