Almost Home

Almost Home written by one of my personal favorites – Joan Bauer and is about a 12-year-old girl named Sugar.  When her grandfather dies and her father runs off yet again, Sugar’s mother loses their home and Sugar is left homeless – lost and confused and unsure where to turn.

When her mother takes her to Chicago to start a new life – Sugar learns that how she responds to what happens in her life is under her control and she begins to use her poetry and her cute little puppy to change her life for the better little by little.  Sugar learns that home is not always a physical location – but a place you can carry around in your heart.

Joan Bauer always does an amazing job creating characters that are so real.  Sugar is the type of girl who hasn’t always had an easy life but she has family, friends, and a 6th grade teacher who really cares about her.  Bauer can create a setting so realistic that you’d be surprised not to find her characters in your everyday life – and just maybe the readers will take  minute to better understand the people around them before making a snap judgement about someone.  You never know what has happened to make a person act a certain way, and Sugar is quick to tell you that a smile goes a long way.

Once in Chicago, Sugar’s mom has a breakdown from stress and Sugar is put into foster care until her mother can take care of her again.  This book was similar to  the book One for the Murphys which I reviewed a few months ago, with a realistic approach to foster care, but still with a positive outlook that will bring a lot of readers to the story.

Title: Almost Home
Author: Joan Bauer
Publisher: Viking Juvenile
Publication Date: 2012
Page Number: 240 pgs.