Synopses & Reviews
Nell spends every summer with her aunt Ursa and cousin Foley. This summer she finds she is strongly attracted to Foley's smooth-talking best friend, Slade. When Slade and Foley beg her to hide Foley's Raven .25, a pistol her cousin purchased in a gun-running scheme, Nell reluctantly agrees -- even though the weapon scares her and hiding it means lying to her aunt.
Nell is haunted by guilt when tragedy strikes and Foley runs away. Could she have prevented Slade's death? Should she have told Aunt Ursa what the two boys were up to? Seeking answers, Nell turns to her father, who must face his own conflicted feelings about his family and his past. In the end Nell learns the importance of making choices for herself, telling the truth, and about the healing power of a strong family.
Review
"[A] poignant and ultimately uplifting coming-of-age story. . . Pinkneys characters emerge complex and real in this tale of home-town pride and family loyalty."—Publishers Weekly "Shifting moods, increasing tension, and a well-defined setting make this novel compelling and thought-provoking for readers. . . . A good read."—School Library Journal "A rare look into the heart of a twelve-year-old girl as she balances the very real dangers of modern living against the unabashed joys of being in a close-knit black family. The author allows her characters to walk that dangerous edge between morality and adventure, which leads to insight."—Walter Dean Myers, Printz Award-winning author of Monster "Its easy to fall in love with Nell and all the Gradys. Ms. Pinkney has the touch for healing and family recognition. . . . She makes you know that after tears, theres laughter, and everything else is bound to be all right."—Ruby Dee and Ossie Davis
Synopsis
It's summer vacation, and twelve-year-old Nell has gone upstate to spend a month with Aunt Ursa and Cousin Foley. Seeing Foley's best friend, Slade, puts a smile on Nell's face, even when she tries to stay cool. Nell is enjoying the lazy days of summer, especially Foley's antics and Slade's flirty talk . . . until the boys surprise her with a frightening request. They want her to hide a pistol in her old dollhouse. Nell doesn't know what to do. Suddenly, she doesn't trust anyone, even herself. But when tragedy strikes, she knows she can't handle it on her own.
Synopsis
From the New York Times best-selling author Andrea Davis Pinkney comes the gripping story of a young girl forced to choose between protecting a family member and doing what she believes is right.
About the Author
Andrea Davis Pinkney is the New York Times best-selling author of several books for young readers, including the novel Bird in a Box, a Today Show Al Roker Book Club for Kids pick, and Hand in Hand: Ten Black Men Who Changed America, winner of the Coretta Scott King Author Award. Additional works include the Caldecott Honor and Coretta Scott King Honor book Duke Ellington, illustrated by her husband, Brian Pinkney; and Let It Shine: Stories of Black Women Freedom Fighters, a Coretta Scott King Honor book and winner of the Carter G. Woodson Award. Andrea Davis Pinkney lives in New York City.