So glad I got to read this book- it is a treasure! Franny’s story captivated me from the first line. She lives with her Nana, who hurts her leg; there’s so much for Franny to sort through and make sense of. Masterful writing brings depth and insight.

I loved Franny’s story. We need more books involving characters dealing with mental illness in their families. The middle school relationships were very realistic. I loved Franny’s creative side and the way art helped her deal with her trauma.

Money is tight for Franny and her grandmother, mom is out of the picture, and best friend Ruben seems to have found someone to replace her. Then Nana breaks her femur and will be wheelchair bound for 6 weeks or more and things get really tough. Cathy Carr’s main character is likable and well-developed and middle grade readers will be rooting for Franny from beginning to end, in part because she is so much like them. Excellent choice for those in grades 4-7 and with its less than 200 pages, will be approachable for most readers in those grades. Text is free of profanity, sexual content, and violence.

A good entry in the world of mental illness and the affects it has on the kids left behind. I enjoyed the inclusion of art and the power it has to heal and help. Fran's self-confidence is also amazing.

All I have to say is READ THIS BOOK. This is an amazing book for younger readers to relate to. I think mental health is a very important topic and the fact that this book helps touch on this very serious topic, young readers can finally put words to their feelings.

Franny is a 12 year old very artistic kid. Franny finds new uses for what many others discard. When her Nana falls and breaks her leg, Franny and Nana must move. Franny's mother is absent due to incarceration, substance abuse, and mental illness. Franny not only faces family challenges, but changes in her friendships as well. Carr deals with complex situations in a way that is very relatable for readers.

This book has everything I love about middle grade: 1) a main character so richly drawn the reader feels immediately compelled to root for them, 2) intergenerational relationships, 3) friendship dilemmas, and 4) HEART.
Franny Petroski is her own, whole, unique person. I loved her! And she also has a lot of family baggage that's pretty heavy. There will be readers who see themselves in this story and will feel less alone. That is a gift. There are others who will read it and understand better why some people in their lives might be acting the way they do. Also a gift!
Shout out to all the memorable characters that author Cathy Carr has drawn here, including Franny's Nana & Uncle, and most especially her group of friends. Be you, younglings! Make art and be you!

Franny lives with Nana since she was young. Everything was working out until Nana falls and gets hurt. Then Uncle Gabe shows up to help. Franny starts to learn about her mom and finds out about her struggles with bipolar disorder. In addition to her struggles at home, one of her best friends moves away and the other starts to have other friends. Franny still has her art as an outlet.

This is a great middle grade novel! It address the mental health in a sensitive manner. It shows Franny dealing with a lot, but getting through everything with help. I enjoyed reading about Franny and seeing how her story unfolds. I would recommend this to a middle grader. I can’t wait to share it with others.

Franny and Nana have a rhythm and then that gets overturned when Nana gets hurt.
Franny has to adjust to a new home and Uncle Gabe coming to help.
Franny starts to learn more about her mom who is not around and learns more about the family that Uncle Gabe, Nana and her mom had before.
Franny is also dealing with friendship changes. Her friend Lucy is in London for a time and her friend Reuben is making new friends.
But Franny still has her art and creating new pieces helps her calm her mind.
Franny learns about her mom's bipolar disorder and how it has affected her family.
This is such a great middle grade book for anyone dealing with changes in their life.
I liked how they talked about bipolar and show you that it can be treated and people can live normal lives.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

Cathy Carr follows up to her outstanding first novel with another strong narrative voice. Franny is an artist who has a lot of questions about her family history, specifically her mother who's been out of the picture for years. The relationship with her Nana is sensitively portrayed, the delicate balance of responsibility and care between grandmother and granddaughter. All the characters are fully fleshed out, including Uncle Gabe, who doesn't just swoop in as a savior but has his own feelings and needs, too. Most of all, Franny's voice is direct and kid-like and lingers after the last page. Highly recommend.

As a huge fan of Cathy Carr's debut, 365 to Alaska, I was anxious to read her sophomore novel and it did not disappoint. Carr has a knack for bringing family dramas and local communities to life through middle schoolers' eyes. In her latest, Lost Kites and Other Treasures, readers will instantly empathize with Franny Petroski as she navigates changing friendships and family challenges, and the fine line between secrecy and privacy, as Carr creatively tells it. A poignant and gentle novel about the toll that bipolar disorder takes on one family, this is also a story of humor, food, and the many ways in which salvaged things become art. I'm grateful to the author and publisher for an ARC of this relatable and informative story that grabbed my heart.