"A wrenching and rewarding read." - Booklist, starred review
My editor just sent me this news and review! I'm over the moon. It's ironic because, for a book about courage, I had a lot of fears and trepidation writing this story. In many ways, this is a very personal tale as my own mother struggled with agoraphobia.
Today, I'm grateful for these kind words. Thank you, Booklist!
★ Courage For Beginners
By Karen Harrington
August/ Ages 8 – 12/
$17.00
ISBN:
978-0-316-21047-8
For Mysti Murphy,
being in seventh grade takes enormous courage. Her agoraphobic mother never
leaves the house; her father falls from a tree and is hospitalized in a
comatose state; and her best and only friend is conducting a social
experiment,” ignoring and even making fun of her at school. In this moving
follow up to Sure Signs of Crazy
(2013), Harrington returns to similar themes and introduces another appealing
protagonist, the red-haired, joke-telling Mysti. From her father, Mysti has
learned to deflect difficulties with humor, but from her mother, she’s learned
fears—for instance, it takes Mysti over a month to think of solving the
family’s food problem by walking to a nearby store. Mysti often sees herself as
a character in a book, and such thoughts are italicized to create a
scene-setting narration: “Here is a girl who may have more hidden genius than
she realized.” The heat of the Texas setting and the inevitable bullying and jockeying
for social position in her middle school add to the oppressive atmosphere.
Scarf-wearing Rama Khan, a neighbor and new friend, provides welcome support,
as does her teacher of Texas history. A wrenching and rewarding read. Booklist issue, June 1, 2014.
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