Synopses & Reviews
A ghost saved twelve-year-old Maddie's life when she was an infant, her Granny Lane claims, so Maddie must always remember that she is special. But it's hard to feel special when you've spent your life shuffled from one foster home to another. And now that she's at the East Tennessee Children's Home, Maddie feels even less special. andlt;BRandgt; She longs for a place to call home. She even has a "book of houses" in which she glues pictures of places she'd like to live. Then one day, a new girl, Murphy, shows up at the Home armed with tales about exotic travels, being able tot fly, and boys who recite poetry to wild horses. When Murphy offers Maddie something she has never had before, Maddie begins to wonder if she has finally found someone who andlt;Iandgt;feelsandlt;/Iandgt; like home.
Review
* "A lovely, quietly bittersweet tale of friendship and family."
Review
"A celebration of friendship and of the healing powers of the imagination."
Review
"Unique and memorable."
Review
"A choice read aloud. Tough issues, difficult situations, engaging characters, and a tentative ending provide ample discussion possibilities."
Review
andlt;divandgt;"Unique and memorable."andlt;/divandgt;
About the Author
andnbsp;Frances Oandrsquo;Roark Dowell is the bestselling and critically acclaimed author of andlt;iandgt;Dovey Coeandlt;/iandgt;, which won the Edgar Award and the William Allen White Award; andlt;iandgt;Where Iandrsquo;d Like to Beandlt;/iandgt;; the bestselling andlt;iandgt;The Secret Language of Girlsandlt;/iandgt; and its sequels andlt;iandgt;The Kind of Friends We Used to Beandlt;/iandgt; and andlt;iandgt;The Sound of Your Voice, Only Really Far Awayandlt;/iandgt;; andlt;iandgt;Chicken Boyandlt;/iandgt;; andlt;iandgt;Shooting the Moonandlt;/iandgt;, which was awarded the Christopher Medal; the Phineas L. MacGuire series; andlt;iandgt;Falling Inandlt;/iandgt;; the critically acclaimed andlt;iandgt;The Second Life of Abigail Walkerandlt;/iandgt;; andlt;iandgt;Anybody Shining;andlt;/iandgt; and the teen novel andlt;iandgt;Ten Miles Past Normalandlt;/iandgt;. She lives with her husband and two sons in Durham, North Carolina. Connect with Frances online at FrancesDowell.com.
Reading Group Guide
ABOUT THE BOOK Maddie lives in the East Tennessee Children's Home. Ricky Ray, age six, is her special friend. Then Murphy, a new girl, comes to the home telling wonderful stories about her previous life. Maddie doesn't know whether to believe them but enjoys them anyway. Maddie makes scrapbooks of houses, houses cut from magazines, houses where she'd like to live. The children build a fort with the help and in the yard of Logan, who has a home and a family. The children make scrapbooks and weave stories about how they would like their lives to be.
THEMES
Adoption; Orphans and foster children; Friendship; Imagination.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
Why do you think Murphy tells such stories about herself?
Do you think Penny Korda will adopt Maddie and Ricky?
Why did Maddie bury the books? What was the symbolism?
Maddie was judging the other children by her first impressions. Why can that sometimes be wrong?
How did Logan's mother change during the story?
ACTIVITIES
Start a scrapbook of your favorite things -- faces, clothes, toys, etc.
Draw a map of what you think the fort looks like. Where are the doors, windows, and furniture?
Maddie collects pictures of houses to decide which one she wants for herself. What would your ideal home be like? Draw a picture or write a description.
Read some other books about foster children, such as Pictures of Hollis Wood by Patricia Reilly Giff, The Pinballs by Betsy Byars, and The Same Stuff as Stars by Katherine Paterson. How are they alike and different?
This reading group guide is for classroom, library, and reading group use. It may be reproduced in its entirety or excerpted for these purposes.
Prepared by Marj Lloyd
© William Allen White Children's Book Award
Please visit http://www.emporia.edu/libsv/wawbookaward/ for more information about the awards and to see curriculum guides for other master list titles.