Almost Home

Almost Home

by Joan Bauer

Genre: Juvenile Fiction

Synopsis:  Sugar Mae Cole doesn't often get downhearted, but lately it's been a struggle to keep up her spirit.  Newly homeless, Sugar and her mother, Reba, have come to Chicago to make a fresh start.  When Reba has a serious breakdown, Sugar and her beloved rescue dot, Shush, are put into foster care.

I feel I've got a sign across my forehead that everyone sees: Homeless Girl.

But Sugar still has a link to her old life through her former teacher, Mr. Bennett, who encourages her to write,  Pouring her feelings into heartfelt poems that mirror her fear and confusion, but also her dreams and her faith in people, Sugar comes to understand that home is a place you carry in your heart.
from the back of the book

Review:  This was such a great story!  The author clearly has a way of writing to younger readers in a way that grabs them and engages them in the story.  The group of sixth graders that read this at my school really enjoyed it.  Sugar is such a sweet character and readers can't help but cheer for her and hope that everything is going to work out for her at the end (I'm not giving anything away).  Sugar expresses her feelings through her writing and the poems in the book were beautifully written and very poignant.  I just loved Sugar's positivity and grateful attitude.  I think we all need some Sugar in our lives and be more like her.  Her personality was infectious.  At times Sugar seemed a little too grown up and responsible for her age.  She didn't react to the situations that came up in her life like a child would.  But overall this was a fantastic book.

Rating: 4.5 stars