A Song Called Home

Juvenile fiction 

     Lou, protagonist of Sara Zarr's A Song Called Home, is experiencing too much change for a fifth grader to deal with.  Her alcoholic father rarely shows up.

     "He didn't live with them anymore, and he still drank.  But, also, he was still Dad.  She didn't need a new one.  She just wanted the one she had to be different."

     I bet you guessed it.  Lou's mother is getting remarried.  They're moving to her new husband, Steve's house which necessitates changing schools right before middle school and leaving her best friend.  Big sister, Casey, formerly her chum, is too preoccupied with a boyfriend to play much of a role in her life.

     But there is a ray of hope.  On Lou's birthday a guitar appears at her old home.  She is sure that it's a gift from her father.  Perhaps if she can learn to play it and perform in her new school's talent show maybe he'll really see her and be proud of her and change.

     A Song Called Home is a truly insightful and engaging narrative for young readers, especially those hoping desperately that someone in their own lives can change.

On a purrrsonal note, I decided to just handle the small stuff like catching up with laundry and running errands for yesterday and today.  No big decision making until after the three day weekend.  I hope you have something really good planned.  Eugene and I are going to camp.  He'll do all the cooking and I'll sit on the porch and read.  Perfect division of labor.  Maybe on the way there or back we'll see a few yard sales to stop at.  (Jules)

I'll take care of business while they're away.  (Tobago)

A great big shout goes out to you, our readers, with best wishes for a spectacular long weekend.

Tobago and Jules Hathaway 

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