And Then, Boom!

De: Lisa Fipps

Narrado por: Michael Crouch

A gripping new novel in verse by the author of the Printz Honor-winning Starfish, featuring a poverty-stricken boy who bravely rides out all the storms life keeps throwing at him

Joe Oak is used to living on unsteady ground. His mom can’t be depended on as she never stays around long once she gets “the itch,” and now he and his beloved grandmother find themselves without a home. Fortunately, Joe has an outlet in his journals and drawings and takes comfort from the lessons of comic books—superheroes have a lot of “and then, boom” moments, where everything threatens to go bust but somehow they land on their feet. And that seems to happen a lot to Joe too, as in this crisis his friend Nick helps them find a home in his trailer park. But things fall apart again when Joe is suddenly left to fend for himself. He doesn’t tell anyone he’s on his own, as he fears foster care and has hope his mom will come back. But time is running out—bills are piling up, the electricity’s been shut off, and the school year’s about to end, meaning no more free meals. The struggle to feed himself gets intense, and Joe finds himself dumpster diving for meals. He’s never felt so alone—until an emaciated little dog and her two tiny pups cross his path. And fate has even more in store for Joe, because an actual tornado is about to hit home—and just when it seems all is lost, his life turns in a direction that he never could have predicted.

Great story

Joe had such a fight for his life but at the end he did it and that’s what I like about it

Great read

This was a great story. It makes stop and think and want to help. Read it to my 5th graders and they loved it.

Could not stop listening

I realized that this account is in my husband’s name and I left you a review about Starfish. I am Tammy Lynn Fipps, my Dad is Paul. I could not stop listening and feeling it so much. I was in foster care and given to my aunt. I know that Mom very much. Thank you my cousin for your wonderful talent.

The whole story

I liked that in the end he came out on top. The struggle he went through of being abandoned at a young age was crazy.

Phenomenal touching book

This is a phenomenal book to read, touches on homelessness, food insecurities, and just people going around being unseen by others. This book had me in tears as I listen to the main character struggles. You cannot read this book and not want to find a way to help others. Great read.

all of it

It was cool, fun, interesting, sad, exciting adventures And\nI liked it because it told about his life