Honey by Sarah Weeks

Melody's mother died when Melody was born.  Since then the ten-year-old has been wishing that her father could find someone new.  One day she overhears her father call someone "honey" on the phone and she begins to hope that her wish will come true.  Now she is on a quest with her best friend, Nick, and the pesky little neighbor girl, Teeny, to discover who this "honey" is.  Excitement fades as Melody begins to think her father's intended is a lady she really doesn't like. A new friend, a dog named Mo, and some amazing shades of nail polish help her get through the crisis and learn a little more about her own biological mother.  This sweet family story is told from the point of view of three characters:  Melody, Bee Bee, a new manicurist in town who is obsessed with bees, and Bee-Bee's dog, Mo.  Weeks does a good job of tying the three points of view together to keep the reader engaged  and eager to figure out several little mysteries along the way. This is a good choice for early or middle grade readers who enjoyed Junie B. Jones or Clementine but are ready to move on to something a little longer.(152 p)