As a member of a military family Ginny, protagonist of Caroline Hickey's Ginny Off The Map, is used to frequent moves. Whenever her father is reassigned they have to start over in a new town or city. As she finishes fifth grade her family is all packed—ready for another relocation. Moves are easier for her big sister, Allie, who has an easier time making new friends. But as long as Ginny has her dad she can cope.
Only she won't have him to help her settle into the new neighborhood. He's been assigned last minute to a tour of duty in Afghanistan.
Ginny is a STEM magnet school student with a passion for geography. She's a big fan of Marie Tharp, the scientist who first mapped the Atlantic Ocean floor and proved the theory of continental drift. She constantly aggravates Allie with the seemingly inexhaustible supply of geography facts that she finds fascinating. Before he leaves her father enrolls her in a geography camp near her new home so she'll have at least one thing to look forward to.
On what's supposed to be the first day of geography camp Ginny learns that it's been been cancelled. Her mother enrolls her in a jewelry making class in which she has no interest. Meanwhile the kids in their new neighborhood are gravitating to Allie and ignoring her. She feels left out and lonely.
And she's very anxious about her dad being in a war zone.
How does a kid adjust to too many challenges without her most trusted friend there to help her navigate them? Ginny Off The Map is perfect for the many kids who are in that situation.
On a personal note my American Community College is over. There's still a week of classes but Jim wisely reserved the last day as a make up for in case too many classes got cancelled by snow days. It was a really awesome class. It was truly collaborative so we could learn from each other and even tell Jim a thing or two. And we had insightful guest speakers almost every week.
A great big shout out goes out to my classmates, Jim, and the guest speakers.
Jules Hathaway
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