Leaving Emma — Nancy Steele Brokaw

When Emma learns that her forever best friend, Tem, is moving away at the end of the school year, she is miserable. Then she finds out that Dad is going to Turkey for five months on business. And then Mom says she's going to visit him there. Emma feels as though everyone is leaving her, and the prospect of having weird old Great-Aunt Grace come to stay doesn't make her feel any better. But Great-Aunt Grace turns out to be a good listener and to have some useful ideas, and Emma's interest in art takes her in an exciting new direction with the possibility of making some new friends. Saying goodbye isn't easy, but in this insightful, spirited debut novel Emma finds ways to hold on to what is truly important.