Ten-year-old Anna Nickel is moving from Colorado to Kansas, and she is not happy about leaving her friends behind! This is a moving, often humorous coming-of-age story about family, faith, God's love, and the meaning of home, perfect for fans of Katherine Paterson and The Penderwicks . Ten-year-old Anna Nickel's worst nightmare has come true. Her father has decided to move the family back to Oakwood, Kansas—where he grew up—in order to become the minister of the church there. New friends, new school, a new community, and a family of strangers await, and what's even worse, it's all smack-dab in the middle of Tornado Alley. Anna has always prided herself on being prepared (she keeps a notebook on how to cope with disasters, from hurricanes to shark bites), but she'll be tested in Oakwood! This beautifully written novel introduces a family who takes God's teachings to heart while finding many occasions to laugh along the way, and an irrepressible and wholesome ten-year-old who, with a little help from Midnight H. (her cat), takes control of her destiny. Gr 3-6–When fourth-grader Anna is told that her family has to move from Colorado to rural Kansas, she is beyond upset. Her father is a minister and is needed back in his hometown, so it's off to Oakwood, where, for better or worse, nearly everyone in the small town is a relative. Having always had a preoccupation with safety (she even has her own Safety Club), Anna has a lot to prepare for. Hesitant to start a new school, she joins up with her cousin to be homeschooled on her aunt's farm. However, things go from bad to worse when her younger sister and mother head back to Colorado without her because her grandfather is ill. Anna must try to navigate her family's history, fit into a new community, and prepare for natural disasters, all while figuring out what God has planned for her and Midnight H. Cat. Filled with biblical allusions and simple discussions of faith, this is a sweet book with a lot of heart. Anna's struggles with adjusting to a new town will be relatable to kids going through a move, although the religious themes may be a bit much for some. This gentle story ultimately has a happy resolution. Anna's safety tips on everything from rattlesnakes to clouds are sure to entertain readers.–Kerry Roeder, Professional Children's School, New York Cityα(c) Copyright 2013. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. Anna Nickles, the Gold Ribbon Safety Citizen of her fourth grade, has no interest in changing her habitat. So her family’s temporary move to Oakwood, Kansas, is far beyond all the disasters she’s prepared for in her notebook, which is filled with appropriate responses to threats like tornadoes and bears. In Oakwood, she has far too many relatives, many of them no more optimistic than she is, though her preacher father works hard at peacemaking. Second-cousin Simon is actively mean, and second-cousin Morgan, who supports Anna’s school and Sunday school avoidance, has her own secrets. The local history of German-speaking pacifists in WWI and the mystery of past family hurts combine with present-day concerns: Can Anna keep her cat and her four-year-old sister safe? Is anyone going to pay attention to her tenth birthday? And when the heck can they go back to Colorado? Anna’s sensible disaster-preparedness lists add to the appeal of a character with whom readers will sympathize for her general unhappiness—and they’ll rejoice for her at the whirlwind ending, too. Grades 3-6. --Kathleen Isaacs Praise for The Feverbird’s Claw: “Kurtz rewards readers with simple yet profound insights.” - Publishers Weekly Praise for Jakarta Missing: “Ambitious and complex.” - Publishers Weekly “An amusing and richly rewarding tale that features a very likable, one-of-kind protagonist.” - Kirkus Reviews (starred review) Anna Nickel loves: Her classroom salamander - Her house - Midnight H. Cat (her cat) - Jericho (her really cool Sunday - School teacher) - Her mom and dad and little sister, - Isabella (most of the time) - Colorado, not Kansas - And her life just the way it is. Anna Nickel does not want to move to Oakwood. Especially when it is almost her birthday and she has a camping party planned. Especially when the school year isn't even over yet! No fair! What a disaster! Luckily, Anna is a Gold Ribbon Safety Citizen, prepared for almost everything. Unluckily, Anna isn't ready for cousins, lost cats, water balloons and rotten eggs, peculiar relatives, blisters, emus, missing moms, church potlucks, and tornadoes. . . . -- Publishers Weekly Anna Nickel loves: Her classroom salamander - Her house - Midnight H. Cat (her cat) - Jericho (her really cool Sunday - School teacher) - Her mom and dad and little sister, - Isabella (most of the time) - Colorado, not Kansas - And her life just the way it is. Anna Nickel does not want to move to Oakwood. Especially when it is almost her birthday and sh