Language: G (1 swears, 0 f'); Mature Content: PG (alcoholic absent mother); Violence: G BUYING
APPEALS TO: SEVERAL
After spending a week at home alone, unsure where their mother is or when she will come back, 11yo Hank and his little sister Boo decide they need to find help. They travel across town by bus to the home of an old family friend. Luckily Lou Ann agrees to take them in while a search is made for their absent mother. Boo seems to be thriving at Lou Ann's house. She is learning her letters and numbers and doing well at potty training. Hank is slowly starting to make new friends and the coach is taking note of his basketball skills. But Hank knows it is all still temporary, he is certain his mother will return any day. When she does show up one day out of the blue, Hank is elated. However, when she insists they leave town without telling anyone Hank is uncertain. Only hours into their drive, she starts drinking again. Hank is put in a tough spot. Does he stay with their mother and put himself and his sister at risk, or go back to Lou Ann's and face the consequences of leaving. "Hank is always counting his mistakes and weighing which mistakes are worse. Even though he loves his mother he knows he can no longer trust her. Luckily he has some good adults in his life that teach him that we can learn from our mistakes and that true family loves unconditionally.
I really enjoyed this story about a boy trying to understand and navigate some tough emotions regarding his alcoholic mother, foster care and adoption. "
Hank and Boo are white. The other characters in the book are a variety of ethnicities.
Reviewer: A. Snow, Librarian
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