The Decoding of Lana Morris

The Decoding of Lana Morris is an entertaining book that shows Lana's fantasy side of life and reality. While you're reading the book, you'll wonder who to trust and the end is satisying, though a little too-good-to-be-true. As you turn every page, you realize Lana is growing up, little by little and by the end she becomes a mature teenager who knows what her heart wants.

This is a wonderfully crafted teen novel, but sometimes I felt a little uncomfortable with sixteen-year-old Lana having to deal with so many problems: her treatment by her jealous and unsympathetic foster mother, the inappropriate advances (ambivalently encouraged by Lana) by her foster father, the cruelty of the kids in town, and her eventually becoming the major caretaker for the four special-needs kids in the foster home. I loved the magical drawing kit and all its dramatic ramifications, but what I loved most about this novel were the relationships: especially Lana's developing relationships with the four special-needs kids and with Chet, the boy next door. The relationships were very real and depicted with great sensitivity.

Laura and Tom McNeal's THE DECODING OF LANA MORRIS tells of teen Lana, who lives with a frosty foster mother and has to deal with a close-knit clique by the only other teens around. When she enters an antique shop and trades for a set of blank paper, Lana finds mysterious events began to occur.

I have read some other books of the McNeal's and loved each of them. All their books are fast reads and have characters that anyone can connect to. The Decoding Of Lana Morris was no exception. Lana Morris is just your average 16 year old girl who happens to live with a not so average family. Her foster mother is snoopy and self-centered who can't wait to get rid of Lana. On the other hand, her foster father shares a special, almost inappropriate relationship with Lana. She's stuck in a house with a bunch of kids who have special needs, referred to as the Snicks. You learn throughout the book along with Lana how to love all the "special" kids and realize very quickly that the kids are special way beyond their mental disabilities. My favorite part of the book was how creative and imaginative it was. It almost reminded me of a fairy tale when Lana meets a strange old lady in a unique little shop. She buys a book from the old women and discovers that inside she can draw herself 13 wishes. Over time Lana learns what is really important to her and more importantly what is important to the people around her. I loved the sense of humor in the book mixed in with all the lessons you learn along with Lana. If your like me you'll be surprised how attached you get to all the Snicks and how much you root for Lana in the end. You'll be impressed how Laura and Tom McNeal are able to nail the exact feelings of any average teenage girl.

Anyone who has read any one of Tom and Laura McNeal's earlier young adult books does not need to be persuaded of their literary skill. The authors have a voice that speaks directly, clearly, and apparently efortlessly, to the hearts, minds, and souls of this age group. Their dilogue is bright and clever without being cute, and their stories move briskly. The leading character of this latest book is a 16-year-old girl, Lana, who lives in a foster home along with four younger, disabled, special needs children, referred to as the Snicks. Lana's close association with them is enough to cause serious social problems for her, but sher has other more confusing concerns as well. Although she quickly shows herself to be strong-minded and determined, her life during this one Nebraska summer is challenging in many ways. Her travails, disappointments, discoveries, dreams and hopes make up the engaging plot. For me, however, the book's greatest appeal is in its treatment of the seldom-addressed subject of living with special needs children. The authors describe the Snicks in a clear-eyed, realistic, matter-of-fact way that is invariably respectful. Each child's individual idiosyncracies are distinct; they're sometimes funny, sometimes aggravating, sometimes mystifying. But there is not the slightest hint of mockery in the descriptions of the comic moments, nor any sentimentality in the sad ones. Lana's, and the reader's, feelings toward these four characters grow from tolerance to affection to loving concern.