Lois Lowry is one of the best writers of kids' fiction that I've ever read. I truly enjoy her books. The Birthday Ball , The Giver (and its companions), Young Fredle ... When I open up one of her books, I'm struck by the way she uses words to vividly describe characters and settings. She is clever in her use of words. Once in a while, I come across a book that reminds me of her writing. A few weeks ago, I read a book by a new author, Jennifer Trafton. It is titled The Rise and Fall of Mount Majestic . From the first page, the book held a lot of promise. The story is extremely imaginative. It is the story of Persimmony Smudge and her quest to save the island's inhabitants. It already sounds like there's a story there, doesn't it? The story begins with Persimmony going to find Theodoore, the potter, to get a new pot because she broke her family's giving pot that gave them the food they needed each day. She gets s...