Timothy - I think LMM saying The Story Girl was her favorite work may be a case of recency bias. With TSG, a plot of kids trying to entertain themselves and enjoy the carefree outdoors will cause a "through line" to get lost somewhere in the King Orchard. You once pointed out to me that the book lacks a nemesis, which would have created more tension between the characters. I agree. Even so, you can't beat the simple times portrayed in the stories. There were "dream books" to compare, a "who can give the best sermon contest", and my favorite, when the kids spent days making preparations for what they truly believed was the end of the world. Plus, unlike in the TV series, The Story Girl earns her name on them pages.
