From School Library Journal
Grade 3-5-This second installment in the series concerns a cousin whose inclusion in the close-knit Good Fortunes Gang is in doubt. Lorelei "Lolly" Bancroft unfortunately has her father's name, not her mother's maiden one. She thinks she may soon become a Fortune, however, because her parents have had a terrible fight and her father has gone to stay with his snobby, controlling mother. Facing this problem causes the girl to examine her own behavior. When she is Lolly Bancroft, she's afraid of doing the wrong thing- "Lolly's a wet, half-chewed, sugary name"-but when she is Lorelei Fortune, she's adventurous and brave. Lorelei wins out in the end, her parents reconsider their situation, and the cousins accept her-all in 112 pages. There are too many things going on and too many people to allow much depth of plot or character, and the grandmother is just too wicked. Lorelei-Lolly is more believable than the rest, and her feelings and sense of humor are shown with honesty and liveliness.
Carolyn Jenks, First Parish Unitarian Church, Portland, MECopyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Booklist
Gr. 4-7. When her parents first separate, Lolly Bancroft feels relieved. The impossibility of living up to her father's expectations of perfection have made her clumsy and fearful. Now, with her father and his imposing goals out of the house, Lolly adopts her christened name of Lorelei and assumes her mother's maiden name, Fortune. Unlike Lolly Bancroft, Lorelei Fortune will be strong and bold and beautiful. Perhaps as Lorelei Fortune, Lolly will even gain acceptance in the Good Fortunes Gang formed by her 11 Fortune cousins. In her forthright persona of Lorelei Fortune, Lolly finally takes her longed-for place in the gang, but in learning to value herself, she comes to appreciate her time alone, too. In fact, all of the Fortunes and Bancrofts learn to be more accepting of each other as the book ends on a note of reconciliation. The second in an intended four-part series set in New Zealand, Lolly's story will be enjoyed by fans of
The Good Fortunes Gang: Book One of the Cousins Quartet.
Ellen Mandel
