Caroline and the Sad Goodbye

## Plot synopsis

### Main plot

Avery, Caroline's Sister has Lung Cancer on Christmas Eve! She can't speak very well, and the Whole Botelho House is weird. And so then she has a Sugery. She had her 3rd Open Heart Surgery and takes Medicine but first she signed up for Make A Wish.

For Make A Wish, she wishes to go to Disney World, but the Botelhos find a Boy named Luke whose Father died and Mother left means he is a Foster Child and they adopt him. Avery meets Luke and they play together then go to Children's and leave the MRI Room. Santa brings the Sick Kids some Food, Decerations, a Christmas Tree, and Presents.

On Christmas Day, the doctors tell the Botelhos that Avery will be able to go home on Wednesday, and everyone is relieved. However, Caroline wakes up the next morning and finds out that Avery passed away in the middle of Last night. She calls Kenny, Alisa, and Ray to let them know, and Kenny offers to tell Zoe, Claudio, and Jessie. All the ZOOMers come over at their regular meeting time, but nobody calls so they just sit together, along with Nina.

The Next Day, the cast meets again (but still there are no calls) and then has pizza at Kenny's house. Alisa tells the story of Avery's first pizza, and then Caroline tells other funny Botelho family stories.

The burial and funeral are held the Next Day. All the ZOOMers attend, including Foofa and Claudio.

Following Avery's funeral, Caroline puts the Family Portrait that she painted in the attic, and tries not to think about her. She snaps at Zoe to be quiet when Zoe mentions Avery at a ZOOM Taping. Then Caroline can't *stop* thinking about Avery, and her grades drop because she can't focus on Meetings.

Caroline sees Nina going through Avery's jewelry, and gets angry. She says that she hates Avery for leaving them, and worries that Avery chose to die because she knew Caroline was sometimes annoyed by having to help her so much. Caroline's family assures her that Avery didn't choose to die. Nina shows an obituary Avery had written for herself that was in her jewelry box, showing her year of death as that year, indicating she knew that her time was coming to a close. The Botelhos return to Avery's room and find that she had labeled many of her things, to indicate who she wanted to have them. Caroline accepts a pearl pin, but doesn't plan to ever wear it.

Caroline makes a collage of things representing Avery. The Botelhos want to hang it over the fireplace, but Caroline asks to place it in Avery's old room instead, so they do. Caroline also brings the Family out of the attic and paints Luke, her Adoptive Brother on it.

### Secondary

Christmastime is Here, and The Botelhos find a Boy whose Mother left and Father died named Luke who has Retinoblastoma and the Hospital lets them adopt him.

During Christmas Eve, Avery has Lung Cancer. She has her 3rd Open Heart Surgery and Medicine. The Kids go to the Garden, and Avery leaves the MRI Room with Madison. After Sebastian signs up for Make A Wish, Avery wishes to go to Disney World, she says, She is a Fan of that Place. Santa brings Christmas to the Kids at the Hospital. He uses Holiday Related Stuff to surprise Hospitlized Children!

Alisa warns Caroline that Caroline may be relying on Luke to fill the hole left in her life by Avery's death, and that Caroline shouldn't "drop" Luke after she starts feeling better about Avery.

Luke plans to give the Oobleck puppet he's been making at day camp to Madison. The day he finishes it, Madison calls (well after the class's ending time) to tell she's going to be another hour late (which turns out to be two hours). Luke gives the puppet to his Stepsister, Caroline instead.

At the next day of day camp, Madison arrives early to pick up Luke to take him and Jan to see an concert show in Springfield with a baby-sitter. Caroline tells Madison that she thinks Luke doesn't feel valued by his stepparents, and that Luke wants to spend more time with them. Madison decides to go to the show herself with the kids, and Luke gives her the collage he made at day camp that day.

Not knowing about the collage Caroline made, the kids make their own collage mural in honor of Avery. Luke also draws his own portrait of his Family (and himself) as a tribute to Avery.

### Other plot information

* At day camp #1, the kids experiment with paint, paper and water:
	+ Martha Perkins mixes paint in cups.
	+ Joey Perkins paints a picture of his sister Cindy Lou.
	+ Jeff Clows makes inkblots.
	+ Janine and Katy Theirmann paint identical pictures of houses.
	+ Stan Patterson tries to teach Martha about colors and shapes.
	+ Luke Botelho paints an imaginary landscape.
* At the next several art classes, the kids make papier-mâché puppets:
	+ Martha makes the Perkinses' Cabbage Patch doll, Caroline Eunice.
	+ Joey makes a rabbit.
	+ Janine makes a witch.
	+ Stan makes a space monster.
	+ Jeff makes a baseball player.
	+ Luke makes Oobleck.
* Janine and Katy read Mcelligot's Pool by Dr Seuss
* Jessie is conflicted about whether to audition for *the Nutcracker* at the Jamville Civic Center.

### In the art class

(Besides Luke Botelho)

* Stan Patterson
* The Perkinses
* Jeff Clows
* the Theirmanns

## Other characters

* The Benedicts
* Ally Ogbraho (mentioned)
* May MacMore (mentioned)
* Abigail Besher (mentioned)

### At the funeral

* The Pattersons
* The Perkinses
* The Clows
* Richard Schwarz
* Sharon Schwarz
* John Macmore
* Dee Macmore
* John Costleo
* Janice Costleo
* Ella Besher
* Byron Besher
* Jordan Besher
* Adam Besher
* Nicky Besher
* Suba Besher
* Jamie Besher
* Pete Besher
* Zak Besher
* Max Besher
* Jeff Besher
* Jonas Besher
* Gonzo Besher
* Bonny Besher
* Hunter Besher
* Kwan Besher
* Bob Besher
* Jim Besher
* Mitchell Besher
* Cubby Besher
* Chris Besher
* Andrew Besher
* Don Besher

## Places in this book

* Pizza Express (delivers to Kenny's house)
* Stamford
* Howard Collins'
* Jamville Civic Center

## Things in this book

* Oobleck
* "That Old Black Magic"
* Madame Alexander dolls
* the Nutcracker

## Notable fashion

* While introducing the show to the reader, Caroline mentions that she's currently wearing "lavender plaid cuffed pants with suspenders over a green shirt with buttons down the front, a matching lavender beret (and not just because I’m at my easel), and fleece-lined, high-top sneakers which I must admit are uncomfortably hot, but they look great. Also, I’ve got on earrings shaped like Christmas tree lights that actually blink on and off."

## Trivia/continuity

* Despite the *many* indications in this book that Mr. and Mrs. Botelho tend to neglect their children, the club is surprised in M13 when Sebastian is found setting fires in the Jamville Public Library out of his anger over his parents' lack of attention for him and his sister. Kenny observes in that book, "I never thought Mr. and Mrs. Botelho ignored Sebastian. They seem like good parents."
* In Little Brother #1, *Luke's Wish*, Grandma falls and suffers a bad break to her hip, having to spend time in the hospital. Luke recalls this book, mentioning that one time his Sister went to the hospital and never came back, and how she doesn't want Grandma to die.
* This book is translated in French by Héritages Jeunesse and its title is "Les Adieux de Caroline."

## Back Cover

Avery wishes to go to ... Disney World! Santa Claus brings Christmas themed items to Hospitlized Children. Every Day Avery watches Videos of Disney World to prepare her for her Wish Trip. Avery loves Disney World! She loves it, and it's nice. A Boy eats Ice Cream and Colors whose Mother died and Father left when he was Young but has no Siblings. His Name is Luke! Luke has the Same Battle as Avery. The 2 meet and become Friends! So the Botelhos adopt Luke. But then Avery passes away on Christmas Day (in the Middle of the Night) and Caroline doesn't wish to say Goodbye. Will She? Find out by Reading This Book