Description
Sisters Jennifer and Sarah were once part of a happy, stable family, but their idyllic life comes to an abrupt halt with the death of their mother. Unable to cope with his grief and the needs of his two young daughters, their father finds comfort in alcohol, gets fired from his job, and loses his grip on his family.
As twelve-year-old Jennifer approaches maturity, she starts to develop a tough exterior, especially when she attracts unwelcome attention from one of her father’s friends. With nothing left to lose, the two sisters decide run away to their mother’s sister in Vancouver, setting out with very little money and no clear plan. Along the way, they must overcome fear, loneliness, illness, and the conflict inherent in their sibling relationship. This emotional story deals with mature themes, but is ultimately about the enduring bonds of family. Suitable for readers aged nine to eleven.
Recommended Age, Grade, and Reading Levels
- Age:
- 9 to 12
- Grade:
- 6 to 9
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Annotations
Librarian review
No Place for Kids
Jennifer and Sarah were once part of a happy, stable family, but their idyllic life comes to an abrupt halt with the death of their mother. Unable to cope with his grief and the needs of his two young daughters, their father finds comfort in alcohol, and loses his grip on his family. With nothing left to lose, the two run away to their aunt’s in Vancouver, setting out with very little money and no clear plan.
Statistics for homeless youth in today’s urban centres are increasingly high. Many readers will identify – or sympathize —with Sarah and Jennifer’s desperation to survive in a world without parents. This is a book that will help readers empathize for the characters, who are forced to survive by any means, as they set out on a journey to find a place called home.
Author available for class visits. @alisonlohans
Source: Association of Canadian Publishers. Top Grade Selection 2016.
