The Book of Fred by Abby Bardi.  I bought this book either because, well, there is a fish and the fish is connected to the name Fred, and that all ties into one of the oldest inside jokes in my brain.  And because the author has "Bard" in her name.  Or maybe it was a present.  Again with the goofy book choices.  This is another in the accidental local-author series.  It’s a teen novel, essentially, and a nice little snack. 

The main character, a girl named Mary Fred, is taken from her parents and placed in a foster home because her folks have gotten wrapped up in a doomsday cult and charged with neglect for allowing their kids to go without medical treatment.  Fred ends up helping her foster family overcome some of their own problems and begins to understand the world she has been so sheltered from. 

Tragedy ensues, folks heal, Mary Fred breaks free of the cult.  La la la.  It’s a sweet read.  You end up rooting for pretty much everyone involved.  It’s not Tolstoy, mind you, but it isn’t supposed to be. 

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