No Fixed Address

By: Susin Nielsen

Narrated by: Nissae Isen

From beloved Governor General Literary Award--winning author Susin Nielsen comes a touching and funny middle-grade story about family, friendship and growing up when you're one step away from homelessness.

Felix Knuttson, twelve, is an endearing kid with an incredible brain for trivia. His mom Astrid is loving but unreliable; she can't hold onto a job, or a home. When they lose their apartment in Vancouver, they move into a camper van, just for August, till Astrid finds a job. September comes, they're still in the van; Felix must keep "home" a secret and give a fake address in order to enroll in school. Luckily, he finds true friends. As the weeks pass and life becomes grim, he struggles not to let anyone know how precarious his situation is. When he gets to compete on a national quiz show, Felix is determined to win -- the cash prize will bring them a home. Their luck is about to change! But what happens is not at all what Felix expected.

Critic reviews

One of CCBC’S Best Books for Kids & Teens (Spring 2019)

PRAISE FOR No Fixed Address:

“Felix's deeply engrossing and fully immersive first-person narrative of homelessness is both illuminating and heartbreaking. . . . [I]t's his winsome and affecting determination that will win readers over. An outstanding addition to the inadequate-parent genre.” —STARRED REVIEW, Kirkus Reviews

"A well-written work of realism that will be a mirror to some and a window for others. A first purchase." —STARRED REVIEW, School Library Journal

"A charming wonder of a book." —STARRED REVIEW, Quill & Quire

"This may be a story about poverty and depression, but there’s hope and humour at its heart." —The Guardian

"Though Felix’s wry observations keep things from getting too dark, this is also a straightforward look at the circumstances that can lead to homelessness. Clear-eyed and heartfelt." —Booklist

"A timely, funny and compassionate book with an endearing protagonist." —The Independent

"Nielsen uses great writing, terrific characters, humor, and heartbreak to keep readers turning pages. This book deserves readership well beyond her intended middle-grade audience." —San Francisco Book Review

"Felix is a compelling narrator. . . . Nielsen’s eye for detail . . . helps bring the story to life." —Horn Book

"Poignant and powerful without ever feeling overwrought, the topic of homelessness is treated in a way that invites thoughtful reflection. . . . Humor and heart abound in this extraordinary offering." —Canadian Children's Book News

"It is not often that a novel can provide such a great mix of memorable characters and pertinent, timely themes mixed with a good story and dashes of humour." —CM Magazine

"Susin Nielsen has written another book . . . that will touch the heart of every reader who opens the pages. No Fixed Address will make readers laugh, cry, and ask themselves: could this happen to me? No Fixed Address is a novel that belongs in every school, from elementary to secondary as well as public libraries." —Resource Links

Perspective

Strong characters and voice make this story memorably. The perspective of the main character is raw and believable. Great topic for family discussion.

Great story

I throughly enjoyed this story. it certainly has several real life parts to it that made me a tis bit nervous about letting students read it, but they aren't over the top and they are true to life. Tough story, but not too tough.

Great story- well written!

It’s such a heartfelt story. Many people have had this experience I think and it’s a great reminder to never judge a book by its cover…not this book, but people in general.

Awesome book!

This was a book that I surprisingly enjoyed quite a bit! I’m in sixth grade and have just turned twelve years old and was asked to read it for a project and I am happy to say that it was an amazing story! There were some themes that I wouldn’t recommend for younger kids, even though I am not that old myself so I guess it’s more of a maturity thing when it comes to some of the themes in the book but other than that I have no complaints

How they had people gay ! Believe in God

I didn’t like how they put politics like gay stuff . I thought this was a children’s book:(