Homecoming

I have always enjoyed this story. It was a wonderful read aloud when our children were young teens. Such a wonderful story of family pulling together when the chips are down. And making the most of the family you have. For how bad things get it has a triumphant finish.

Overall I enjoyed this story. I have always enjoyed survival adventure stories. This is the story of 4 siblings who are deserted by their father years ago and then their mother leaves them in a shopping mall and doesn't return. THey were on their way to visit an unmet aunt. THe children have very little money and only their wits and legs to travel the couple hundred miles to their aunt. They visit their aunt and then when that doesn't work out they split to go meet their 'crazy' Grandmother whom they have also never met. THey are hard working children and use their wits and survival instincts to make it through.

Is this a realistic story? No. I was also annoyed at the author's attempts to make it a 'deeper' book by trying to address the topic of death. Nobody dies in the story! It is just painted on like a facade. There is no moral basis for their discussions, just random thoughts. Still trying to figure out why she went there at all. It accomplished nothing. My other annoyance with the story was the obligatory flesh reference... giggling over the jiggling of ladies breasts. Really? Totally pointless. My third annoyance was her attempt to discriminate about when stealing and lying was ok and when it wasn't. Again, there was no reference point for these decisions, just their own feelings. They didn't really wrestle with it, just kinda did what was easiest for them. I guess in our world, feelings and ease trump everything.

I like Barbara Caruso as a reader. She was great in the Anne of Green Gables books. There were some technical glitches in the middle of the book where there was an echo.

Bottom line was that I liked the adventure part of the story, it is well written, I disliked the annoyances. It is not a book that I will be giving to the kids to listen to and I very well might return it.

Utterly satisfying. Real characters, with depth and dimension, portrayed beautifully. I long for an unabridged sequel!

This book is earmarked for children, however, it is in no way a juvenile read. The children who are the characters in this novel experience situations that an adult would confront, given the same set of circumstances, in their pursuit to find a home for themselves and keep their family together. There is the refreshing absence of dirty language and obscene material. I recommend the read for ages 10 and above.