"Summer is just starting and I'm getting into trouble without even trying."Tricycle Press; 188 pages
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12 years ago
2 comments:
A visitor to the blog suggested we add this book to our discussion. Karen says:
"SHIFTY by Lynn E. Hazen is the best children's book about a foster kid since THE GREAT GILLY HOPKINS (Katherine Paterson, Newbery Honor winner, 1979). Yanked in and out of foster homes for most of his fifteen years, Shifty has finally landed somewhere he likes with a 'sister' and 'mother' he obviously loves, but circumstances combine with his well-intended but ill-advised behavior to threaten his makeshift happy home. As did Paterson before her, Hazen manages to depict a somewhat grim, grown-up theme -- the instability and uncertainty of the life of a ward of state -- with hope and humor. Readers' hearts will go out to Shifty as he navigates the streets of San Francisco and the bumpy roads of foster life. They'll be glad they got to come along for the ride.
Our library has this book on order, but we have not yet received it. Thanks for the suggestion, Karen! I look forward to reading this book.
I loved Shifty! All of Lynn's characters are deftly and heart-fully drawn, the dialogue is smart and authentic, and Soli's journey has all of the twists and turns, ups and downs that make a compelling story. Shifty is a real winner!
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