This book was different than I expected. Based on its very imaginative cover, I was expecting something with fantastical elements, like magical realism. However, this book is very much realistic fiction and a nice example of the genre. The narrator's voice rings very true for a 9 or 10 year-ol...
Reminds me of a Cleary book but more juiced up, story is set in a small Southern town. The special thing about the author O'Connor is one of her characters is on the last of life journeys, old age, the Grandfather is bed ridden listening to Owen's adventures. Viola the rejected girl character end...
Simple story of a boy who is bored in the summer in his rural town. When he turns a corner and seeing a gleaming motor home stuck in the mud. As if that wasn't great enough it is full of kids. One in particular befriends him (elvis). And the two begin exploring and stumble upon a small advent...
I would say that you'd have to be a ding-dong doodlebrain to not like Barbara O'Connor's writing and On the Road to Mr. Mineo's, but that would just be rude. Instead, I'll tell you why I do.First of all, she uses words like ding-dong doodlebrain. How great is that? Second, her characters are s...
Set in a trailer park called Paradise"You're just wasting your God-given talents if you don't get yourself something besides a little ole harmonica to play." Wylene made it sound so easy. Martin had always like music -- liked to listen to it, liked to make up tunes in his head. But all he had to ...
Who left the baby at the Rock of Ages Baptist Church?Randall Mackey has a secret. He knows who left the baby on the steps of the Rock of Ages Baptist Church. But he can't tell anyone, not even his best friend, Jaybird. And he certainly can't let Jaybird's little sister, Althea, find out because s...
Half of me was thinking, Georgina, don't do this. Stealing a dog is just plain wrong. The other half of me was thinking, Georgina, you're in a bad fix and you got to do whatever it takes to get yourself out of it.Georgina Hayes is desperate. Ever since her father left and they were evicted from t...
Learning to share loveThings at Jennalee's house are just plain crazy, which is why she loves her predictable days helping Uncle Beau (who isn't really her uncle) at his general store. But then Rupert Goody shows up, claiming to be Uncle Beau's son. Jennalee can't believe it, because Rupert is bl...
“We’re gonna build a great big trap,” I said, stretching my arms out to show how big. “With chicken wire from his daddy’s workshop.” Gus’s eyebrows shot up. “A trap, huh?” I nodded. “Well, kind of. More like one of those big dog crates. We’re gonna put it out at the edge of the woods beside the g...
Aggie said. “Let’s go sit and ponder.” She sat in Harold’s lounge chair and let Ugly curl up on the afghan in her lap. She looked out the window at the darkening sky. “Maybe things are starting to change,” she said. “I mean, three rooms in one day!” She looked down at Ugly. “Maybe now I can fix t...