I really enjoyed the books by author Holly Kennedy and was looking for similar books. I came across The Book of Bright Ideas by Sandra Kring. I spent much of the weekend relaxing with this wonderful little book! The setting is summertime in rural Wisconsin. A kindhearted shopkeeper offers her deceased mother in law's house to a couple of sisters who are just passing through. The narrator is nine year old Button, niece of the kind shopkeeper. She immediately takes to the little girl, Winnalee, who is on the move with her older sister Freeda. They had to move from the last town because of a jealous boyfriend. Freeda is a real looker and has a "reputation." Winnalee is an orphan and she carries the ashes of her dead mother with her in an urn. She has blank book that she calls her book of bright ideas. Every time she comes up with a bit of wisdom she records it in her book. Button and Winnalee become bff almost instantly. Freeda and her sister affect everyone they meet and change the dynamics of the family they are adopted into. I didn't realize until I had finished this book that the author is one of our own. Sandra Kring lives in Northern Wisconsin and she mentions in her acknowledgments that she has set of Curves friends. I see from her website that she is willing to participate with book clubs.