Written by: Blue Balliett
First line: It was the bitterest, meanest, darkest, coldest winter in anyone's memory, even in one of the forgotten neighborhoods of Chicago.
Why you should read this book: Early's idyllic family life is shattered when her kind, smart, beloved father disappears under mysterious circumstances and strangers invade and rob her home, and the police don't seem to care. Now she, her mother, and her brother are broke, homeless, and desperately adapting to a new way of living, but Early is determined to use every resource available to find her father and make her family whole again. A smart story about love and family, which is also a clever mystery.
Why you shouldn't read this book: Kids will likely identify with Early's determined optimism, but as an adult, I couldn't help but put myself in her mother's shoes, terrified that her husband has been murdered and that she won't be able to protect of care for her children as their world gets bleaker and bleaker, and this book wrecked me.
No comments:
Post a Comment