I was fortunate enough to win a copy from Barbara Watson, a wonderful writer as well as a Marvelous Middle Grade Monday participant extraordinaire.
Description (from Indiebound.org): Georgina Hayes is desperate. Ever since her father left and they were evicted from their apartment, her family has been living in their car. With her mama juggling two jobs and trying to make enough money to find a place to live, Georgina is stuck looking after her younger brother, Toby. And she has her heart set on improving their situation. When Georgina spots a missing-dog poster with a reward of five hundred dollars, the solution to all her problems suddenly seems within reach. All she has to do is “borrow” the right dog and its owners are sure to offer a reward. What happens next is the last thing she expected.
Opening Line: "The day I decided to steal a dog was the same day my best friend, Luanne Godfrey, found out I lived in a car."
Son's Verdict: Georgina and Toby were great characters. They were kind of the bad guys because they were stealing the dog, but they had this likeableness also. It was definitely a happy ending, but most books are. I think the mother liked Toby more than Georgina, because she was always shouting at Georgina.
Dad's Verdict: Yes, the characters were great. Georgina's story arc was well-done, and we really understood her choices and their consequences. (I think it's fascinating that my son was so keyed in to how parents react to their kids--plus the fact he says I'm always shouting at him. Perhaps he's hinting at something!) Georgina's voice and worldview were completely believable for a preteen. The depiction of homelessness was also something I appreciated, and it's not something you often see in a middle grade novel. With a pitch-perfect ear, O'Connor captured the shame and the tectonic shift in friendships and school I imagine would ensue from such a life-changing predicament. I particularly liked the ending, when Georgina makes her final choice regarding the dog. Finally, Willy the dog is as cute as all get out!
Opening Line: "The day I decided to steal a dog was the same day my best friend, Luanne Godfrey, found out I lived in a car."
Son's Verdict: Georgina and Toby were great characters. They were kind of the bad guys because they were stealing the dog, but they had this likeableness also. It was definitely a happy ending, but most books are. I think the mother liked Toby more than Georgina, because she was always shouting at Georgina.
Dad's Verdict: Yes, the characters were great. Georgina's story arc was well-done, and we really understood her choices and their consequences. (I think it's fascinating that my son was so keyed in to how parents react to their kids--plus the fact he says I'm always shouting at him. Perhaps he's hinting at something!) Georgina's voice and worldview were completely believable for a preteen. The depiction of homelessness was also something I appreciated, and it's not something you often see in a middle grade novel. With a pitch-perfect ear, O'Connor captured the shame and the tectonic shift in friendships and school I imagine would ensue from such a life-changing predicament. I particularly liked the ending, when Georgina makes her final choice regarding the dog. Finally, Willy the dog is as cute as all get out!
About the Author (again from Indiebound)
Barbara O’Connor is the author of numerous acclaimed books for children, including Fame and Glory in Freedom, Georgia; Me and Rupert Goody; and Greetings from Nowhere. She has been awarded the Parents’ Choice Gold and Silver Awards, the Massachusetts Book Award, and the Dolly Gray Award, among many honors. As a child, she loved dogs, salamanders, tap dancing, school, and even homework. Her favorite days were when the bookmobile came to town. She was born and raised in Greenville, South Carolina, and now lives in Duxbury, Massachusetts, a historic seaside village not far from Plymouth Rock.
Barbara O' Connor's Website:http://www.barbaraoconnor.com/index.html
HAVE A MARVELOUS MIDDLE GRADE MONDAY, EVERYONE!
HAVE A MARVELOUS MIDDLE GRADE MONDAY, EVERYONE!
Great review. Loved hearing your son's take on this as well as yours. Funny what your son says about you shouting. My daughter is telling me always to calm down, especially when I tell her to clean her room.
ReplyDeleteI haven't read this one - thanks for the heads up!
ReplyDeleteYour son's entry into the different levels of a person's character--so great!
ReplyDeleteThe opening line of this book really sums up the story line without giving away the ending. All in all, it's PERFECT.
Glad you and your son were able to share this one together.
There's been a lot of MMGM love for this book, going back more than a year! :)
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear you loved it too, Michael. And your son, even with the shouting.
Terrific opening line. Thanks for the reminder!
Another good review for this book. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteOh that opening line tugged at my heart so bad I want to read the book like NOW.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the feature Michael. :)
I've heard about this one a few times. I agree, homelessness is not something you often see in a middle grade novel - as a matter of fact, I can't think of another homeless protag in a middle grade book I have read.
ReplyDeleteI love that you and your son are reading and reviewing books together. Good insights on his part. :-)
Danika
Danika, there's a similar book called Also Known as Harper by Ann Haywood Leal. Here's a link to the indiebound description: http://www.indiebound.org/book/9780312659349
DeleteSorry, Michael. Just had to put my two cents in there!
I enjoyed this one a lot. It's one of those books that makes writing MG look easy -- those are always the good ones. :)
ReplyDeleteGreat review! So glad you guys enjoyed this one! I read it and found the characters very likeable and the storyline was interesting.
ReplyDelete~Jess