Synopses & Reviews
In her first novel since The One and Only Ivan, winner of the
Newbery Medal, Katherine Applegate delivers an unforgettable and magical
story about family, friendship, and resilience.
Jackson and his
family have fallen on hard times. There's no more money for rent. And
not much for food, either. His parents, his little sister, and their dog
may have to live in their minivan. Again.
Crenshaw is a cat. He's
large, he's outspoken, and he's imaginary. He has come back into
Jackson's life to help him. But is an imaginary friend enough to save
this family from losing everything?
Beloved author Katherine Applegate proves in unexpected ways that friends matter, whether real or imaginary.
Review
“The tone is warm and, occasionally, quirkily funny, but it doesn't
sugarcoat the effects of hunger and vulnerability. This novel adds a
middle-grade perspective to the literature of imaginary friends and
paints a convincing and compassionate portrait of a social class — the
working poor — underrepresented in children's books.” The Horn Book, starred review
About the Author
Katherine Applegate is the author of several best-selling young adult series, including Animorphs and Roscoe Riley Rules. Home of the Brave,
her first standalone novel, received the SCBWI 2008 Golden Kite Award
for Best Fiction and the Bank Street 2008 Josette Frank Award. She lives
with her family in Irvine, California.