Synopses & Reviews
How could someone like Mick die? He was the kid who freaked out his mom by putting a ceramic eye in a defrosted chicken, the kid who did a wild dance in front of the whole school--and the kid who, if only he had worn his bicycle helmet, would still be alive today. But now Phoebe Harte's twelve-year-old brother is gone, and Phoebe's world has turned upside down. With her trademark candor and compassion, beloved middle-grade writer Barbara Park tells how Phoebe copes with her painful loss in this story filled with sadness, humor--and hope. Chosen by Publishers Weekly as one of their Best Books of 1996.
About the Author
Barbara Park is one of today's funniest and best-loved writers for middle graders. Her novels, which include Dear God, HELP!!! Love Earl; Skinnybones; The Kid in the Red Jacket; and Mick Harte Was Herehave won numerous children's book awards. Barbara thinks that the wonderful thing about writing humor is that she is able to deal with serious issues in a more lighthearted way. Barbara's fans always want to know whether or not her characters are based on her own children (she has two sons) -- in fact, they are not. But having her sons has made it easier for her to know how kids talk and think. What matters most to Barbara is that her books are bringing a few smiles to her readers.
Barbara lives in Paradise Valley, Arizona, with her husband, Richard. She holds a B.S. from the University of Alabama.