Also Known As Harper

This is the last of the Children's Choice books for now. I've read all of them except for Everything for a Dog by Ann M. Martin, Umbrella Summer by Lisa Graff and Tentacles by Roland Smith. The first two I loaned out to students for the summer, and Tentacles is a sequel and I want to read the first book. I've also got to review 2 of the books off the list that I've read previously.

I'm moving on to the Teen & High School choice award books now!


Also Known As Harper by Ann Haywood Leal

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


Harper Lee can't wait for the poetry contest at school. She is sure she will win, as poems are always flowing from her mind into the notebook she carries around. Then one day after school she arrives home to find the contents of the house she shares with her mother and her brother, Hemingway, scattered throughout the yard. Ever since her father left, Harper's mother had been working multiple jobs at a time to provide for the kids.

After being kicked out, they move into a local motel. Then her mother asks Harper to stay home from school to take care of Hemingway. Which means Harper will miss the poetry contest. Harper and Hemingway meet some new friends who live in a tent camp near the motel. The remainder of the story explores those relationships, and takes a turn in the end.

This story tackles a number of important issues: homelessness, bullies, disabilities, broken families, economy & job loss, and others. However, the issues seem to happen in a way that you sense everything will be fine, despite the gloomy conditions. Basically, this is a feel good story that covers hard topics and isn't quite believable.


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