Synopses & Reviews
Ten-year-old Comfort Snowberger has attended 247 funerals--her family owns theand#160;local funeral home, after all. And even though Great-uncle Edisto keeled over with a heart attack and Great-great-aunt Florentine dropped dead--just like that--six months later, Comfort knows how to deal with loss, or so she thinks. She's more concerned with avoiding her crazy cousin Peach and trying to figure out why her best friend, Declaration, suddenly won't talk to her. But life is full of surprises. And the biggest one of all is learning what it takes to handle them.
and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;In this heartfelt and quintessentially Southern coming-of-age novel, Comfort will charm young readers with her wit, her warmth, and her struggles as she learns about life, loss, and ultimately, triumph.and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;Includes reader's guide and a biography of theand#160;author.
Review
VOYA Top Shelf for Middle School Readers 2013 list
"The Center of Everything travels a satisfying, circular path that deliberately echoes the shape of a donut. . . . Wishing has a useful place both in childhood and in this novel; but so, too, does reality, especially when rendered with this kind of sensitivity."
—Meg Wolitzer, The New York Times Book Review "Another gem from one of my favorite authors! Ruby Pepperdine and her wish will work their way into the center of your heart, where theyll remain (along with a yearning for donuts) long after you close the book." —Ingrid Law, author of Savvy, a Newbery Honor Book
"A beautiful, sensitive, thoughtful novel that will make you think and smile and think some more, and fall in love with Linda Urban's books."
—Kathryn Erskine, National Book Award-winner "Every book by Linda Urban makes me laugh, cry, hope, wonder, and fall in love with her writing. With The Center of Everything, she has done it again!" —Barbara OConnor, author of How to Steal a Dog * "Throughout this slim, affecting novel, Urban treats Ruby's bewilderment with care, and gracefully reinforces the value of friends, family, and community."
—Booklist, starred review
"Ruby's large imagination and even bigger heart are beautifully evoked as the sixth grader finds a way to keep the memory of her grandmother alive."
—Publishers Weekly
* "A poignant, finely wrought exploration of grief."
—Kirkus, starred review
"By turns thought-provoking, humorous, and poignant, Ruby's story introduces a multi-faceted character well worth meeting."
—Horn Book
"Give this to patient readers who enjoy Polly Horvath's The Vacation (2005) and Everything on a Waffle (2001)."
—School Library Journal
* "[Urban] compactly, gently addresses some common aspects of grief: the isolation, the regrets, the bargaining, and the epistemological questions about meaning. . . . This is a terrific first step up for kids who are just beginning to explore more complicated novels."
—Bulletin, starred review
Review
"A memorable tribute to the joys of living."--
Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
"Wiles has a gift for bringing readers into the hearts and minds of her main characters . . . As she faces the changes that life throws her way, Comfort grabs onto the readerand#8217;s heart and refuses to let it go."--BookPage
Review
"Character and events are well written and intriguing. Genuine’s frustration over the dilemma of being able to help everyone but her own family is well crafted...authentic and unique.”
—School Library Journal
"A folksy first-person narration combined with a thought-provoking storyline makes this a good pick for solo enjoyment or book club discussion."
—Kirkus
"Harkey has accomplished something great in this book—readers will learn how almost anything can be done with a wish biscuit in hand."
—VOYA
"Harkey adroitly and wisely metes out the folksiness, using it to add depth to her characters and create a sense of place so that Gen and her community feel both believable and likable...Give this to readers who want a poignant story that, like its heroine, is genuinely sweet."
—Bulletin
"Harkey has created a lively cast of appealing characters, but Genuine's sweet and generous heart is the star of the story."
—Booklist
Synopsis
From the author of the acclaimed A CROOKED KIND OF PERFECT and HOUND DOG TRUE comes a middle-grade novel about donuts, a birthday wish, and making things right with the ones you love.
Synopsis
For Ruby Pepperdine, the “center of everything” is on the rooftop of Pepperdine Motors in her donut-obsessed town of Bunning, New Hampshire, stargazing from the circle of her grandmother Gigis hug. Thats how everything is supposed to be—until Ruby messes up and things spin out of control. But she has one last hope. It all depends on what happens on Bunning Day, when the entire town will hear Ruby read her winning essay. And it depends on her twelfth birthday wish—unless she messes that up too. Can Rubys wish set everything straight in her topsy-turvy world?
Synopsis
A funny, poignant, and very Southern coming-of-age story, now in paperback
Synopsis
A small-town-Georgia tale of twelve-year-old Genuine Sweet, a hardworking but poor (and hungry!) “wish fetcher” who can grant anyone’s wishes but her own.
Synopsis
Twelve-year-old Genuine Sweet, of tiny Sass, Georgia, can grant any wish . . . except her own. It's a peculiar predicament, considering how much she could use a few wishes. New friends help Genuine give her family a boost--and then she takes her gift global! Life finally seems to be on the mend. But when she's faced with unexpected trouble that no amount of wishing can fix, Genuine must puzzle out the difference between wishing for a better life and building one.
Told in the engaging, irresistible voice of Genuine Sweet herself, Faith Harkey's debut novel spins a remarkable tale of a small-town girl with big-time magic and an even bigger heart.
About the Author
Linda Urbans debut novel, A Crooked Kind of Perfect, was selected for many best books lists and was nominated for twenty state awards. Her novel Hound Dog True received four starred reviews and was named a Kirkus Best Book of 2011. A former bookseller, she lives in Montpelier, Vermont, with her family.