Mrs. McGillacuddy's Garden Party

This upbeat and fast-moving story deals with the subject of children who face life-threatening diseases in a fun and entertaining way. It centers on Erika Reisling, an eleven-year-old whose active life is threatened by leukemia. Despite her weekly treatments, complete hair loss, and the seemingly endless waiting for a bone marrow donor for a transplant, she energetically deals with it by playing hard with her mischievous neighborhood friends and by suppressing her fears of death deep within herself.

Erika's only other problem comes in the form of her next-door neighbor, the mean and arrogant Mrs. McGillacuddy. A miserable, old money aristocrat whose property borders the Reislings, Mrs. McGillacuddy despises her middle-class neighbors and their pets, especially Erika's sheepdog, Mooflee, whom she attempts to impound.

At the suggestion of her kindly parents, Erika heads off to spend a week at Camp Good Days (a real-life cancer camp in western New York State), where she has a delightful time meeting and playing with other children who are dealing with life-threatening diseases. Among those she befriends is Luc, a little boy from France who knows he does not have long to live. He is wise for his young age and Erika learns from him. What she gains from him ultimately helps her in her climatic confrontation with Mrs. McGillacuddy, and with herself when her disease takes a turn for the worse and sends her back into the hospital.

With an ending that is rip-roaring, rambunctious, and heartwarming, Mrs. McGillacuddy's Garden Party is written in a light and playful style that will assuredly give the reader tears and smiles.

Larry Dickens holds an unlimited oceans master's license and is a freelance writer whose nonfiction work has appeared in several maritime publications. In July 2000, he retired from a twenty-four year maritime career where he spent most of his seagoing time aboard LNG supertankers operating in the Orient. He is currently writing children's stories and seagoing adventure novels. He resides in the Finger Lakes region of New York State with his wife, Susan, and two daughters.

Mr. Dickens became interested in the subject of childhood cancers after reading the book For the Love of Teddi by Lou Buttino, and the Camp Good Days series of articles written by friend and journalist Jack Jones. In writing Mrs. McGillacuddy's Garden Party his goal is to provide an entertaining and fun story that will help people - both young and old - learn more about children and families dealing with life-threatening diseases. As one reader said, "I wish there had been a book like this when my sister was fighting her cancer. I would have understood what she and my parents were going through." Another reader commented, "The book gave me tears and smiles."

The three girls parked their bicycles at the foot of the mansion's large wooden steps and looked up in awe at the size of this ominous, old Victorian wonder. It was the closest any of them had ever come to this place in their lives and they all felt a little scared that they had actually come this far into forbidden territory. They took a deep breath and Erika led the way up the steps to the porch and then to the massive front door. She raised the heavy, brass doorknocker and rapped the plate beneath it. The thick, wooden door resonated. Many long, long moments passed....and then they heard the latch being moved. The door slowly opened. The girls didn't know what to expect. Jo expected to see some monstrous, oozy creature from outer space. Melanie envisioned a well-dressed, eight-feet tall butler named Lurch. Erika imagined she'd see the Wicked Witch of the West with a long, pointy nose with a green wart on its tip. Instead, the girls found themselves face to face with Mrs. McGillacuddy herself.

She wasn't gaunt and eight-feet tall, nor was she monstrous and alien. What she was was an overweight woman of average size, longish hair, and wearing heavy, pasty make-up on her face which gave her a painted, mannequin look. This veneer did not improve the dour cast on her face, nor did it mask the harsh, deep lines and wrinkles. These could only have come from years of scowling and grimacing, and just plain-old being mean and angry.

Mrs. McGillacuddy did not smile when she saw the children. She eyed them with fury which did give her the witch-like appearance Erika had expected.

"What do you children want here?" she blustered.

Erika remained calm and spoke first.

"Good evening, Mrs. McGillacuddy. We're selling Girl Scout cookies. Would you like to buy some?"

Mrs. McGillacuddy bellowed, "You must be kidding! You girls have a lot of nerve riding up my driveway on your bicycles and asking me for money."

"Yes, Ma'am," Erika agreed wholeheartedly.

"It is for a good cause, Mrs. McGillacuddy" Melanie added.

"And the cookies taste really good, too," Jo chimed in.

Mrs. McGillacuddy was not at all impressed or amused. "Take your wasted little lives and get off of my property. Now!"

Erika studied this horrible woman for a moment and was surprised to find herself not offended by the comment. In fact, quite the contrary. She said, "I feel very sorry for you, Mrs. McGillacuddy. You're just a poor, old selfish woman who doesn't appreciate anything or anyone. I'm sorry, but you're the one whose life's been a waste."

Jo's and Melanie's jaws had dropped. They were speechless. Their faces had a "Like wow!" expression glued all over them.

Erika quietly turned to leave. "Come on, girls. Let's go."

Mrs. McGillacuddy herself was momentarily stunned and was speechless as well. She finally blurted out to the departing children, "Why...I-I've never in my whole life encountered such a disrespectful little girl as you Erika Reisling! I'm going to tell your father!" She then promptly slammed the heavy door to their backs. It made a deep, resounding crash.