One Mixed-Up Night

Frankie (short for Francesca) and Walter have been best friends since preschool, sharing their jokes, fears, books--and love of everything IKEA. When their families make plans for a joint trip to the nearby IKEA store, Frankie and Walter launch a Mixed-Up Files-inspired plan to spend the night alone there--a plan that's part simple adventure and part reaction to Walter's ongoing (but unexpressed) grief following his father's death from cancer. After successfully evading grownup oversight, the pair spends hours building a pillow fort, jumping on couches, sampling the food court (where--"Yay for dork criminals!"--they feel guilty enough to leave payment for their snacks), and rigging a zip line. By the time an incident with lit candles brings adults back into their world--in the form of a security guard who knows something about running away from home--the catharsis they sought has begun. Newman does a fine job of balancing humor and pathos, and even the flashbacks to Walter's father's last months never overwhelm the reader. Frankie is an observant narrator, full of age-appropriate insights that balance out the fast-paced nature of the adventure-driven plot. An engaging read that deals with deep issues and emotions with a light touch and a pitch-perfect narrative voice. sarah rettger