Make Lemonade facts for kids
Make Lemonade is a special kind of book called a verse novel. It was written by Virginia Euwer Wolff and first came out in 1993. A verse novel tells a story using poetry instead of regular paragraphs. This book is for young adults, usually people aged 12 to 18. The company that first published it was Henry Holt and Company.
Make Lemonade is the first book in a series of three. A series of three books is called a trilogy. The other books in the series are True Believer and This Full House. All three books are written in a style called free verse. This means the poems don't have to rhyme or follow a strict rhythm.
The main character in all three books is a fourteen-year-old girl named LaVaughn. She tells the story from her own point of view, so you hear everything through her thoughts and feelings. This is called a first-person point of view. All three books are also available as audiobooks, which are read by Heather Alicia Simms.
People all over the world can read Make Lemonade. It has been translated into many languages, including Danish, Dutch, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, and Spanish.
About the Story
The story of Make Lemonade follows LaVaughn, a young girl who is trying to earn money for college. She takes a job babysitting for a much younger mother named Jolly. Jolly is only seventeen years old and has two small children. The book shows the challenges Jolly faces and how LaVaughn tries to help her. It's a story about friendship, responsibility, and growing up.
Why It's Important
This book is known for its realistic look at life. It explores tough situations but also shows how people can find strength and hope. The free verse style makes the story feel very personal and easy to connect with. Readers often feel like they are right there with LaVaughn, experiencing everything she does.
Awards and Honors
Make Lemonade has won many awards and been recognized for being a great book for young people. Here are some of the honors it has received:
- American Library Association (ALA) Best Book for Young Adults
- American Library Association (ALA) Notable Children's Book
- Bank Street Child Study Book Award, 1993
- Best Kids' Book of 1993, 1993
- Best YA Novels of All Time, English Journal, November 2005
- Booklist Top of the List winner
- Bulletin for the Center for Children's Books Blue Ribbon Book, 1993
- Children's Book of Distinction, 1994
- Golden Kite Award, 1994
- Iowa Teen Award Nominee, 1996-1997
- Michigan Library Association Thumbs Up! Award for YA Fiction, 1994
- Oregon Book Award for Young Readers, 1993
- Parent's Choice Book Award, 1993
- Preiselbar Award, 2000
- School Library Journal Best Book of the Year, 1993
- Top of the List, 1993
- YALSA Best Book for Young Adults, 1994
- YALSA Popular Paperback for Young Adults, 2002
