Thursday, August 7, 2014

Realistic Fiction from the Caudill Nominees

One For The Murphys by Lynda Hunt gives readers a behind the headlines view of being in foster care. 12 year old Carley Connors struggles with a range of emotions as she finds herself the sixth member of the Murphy family. With her mother in the hospital for an unknown length of time, Carley has to start school in a new place very far from her Las Vegas home. Carley is mad at her mom, mad at the Murphys and mad at the world.
Well developed characters and settings bring Carley's new world to life. She slowly learns to connect with her foster family, a difficult kid at school with her own problems and finally her mother.
Readers will have a new appreciation for kids in foster care and the challenges and benefits that are presented to them. A fast, engaging read for anyone.