A Million Ways Home

June 2, 2014
Twelve-year-old Poppy’s comfortable life has taken a bad turn at the start of Winget’s absorbing novel: her beloved Grandma Beth, who has raised her from babyhood (her parents having been killed in an overseas bombing), has had a stroke that landed her in the hospital, and Poppy in a children’s center. When an unexpected confrontation with a killer puts Poppy in grave danger, she is temporarily taken in by a warmhearted detective and his compassionate mother—which complicates her plans to sneak Grandma Beth back to their own apartment. As her grandmother grows progressively worse, dog-lover Poppy finds solace at an animal shelter where she befriends and succeeds in training an aggressive German shepherd. Readers may be as frustrated as the sympathetic adults in Poppy’s life by the decisions her impulsiveness leads her to make, but will sympathize with her feelings of uprootedness, abandonment, and grief. While most will probably predict the story’s resolution early on, Winget
(A Smidgen of Sky) weaves in enough suspense, emotion, and subplots to keep interest high. Ages 8–12. Agent: Lara Perkins, Andrea Brown Literary Agency.

July 1, 2014
After the grandmother she has always lived with has a stroke, 12-year-old Poppy Parker faces tough tasks: She is asked to identify a murderer, and a dog she's fallen in love with will be put down if she can't prove its worth.Poppy has never forgiven her parents for taking a job in Botswana and getting killed there. Her now-hospitalized grandmother is really the only parent she's ever known. Through a series of bad decisions, the distraught girl becomes a vital witness in a murder case and is endangered because she told the armed robber her name. Detective Trey Brannigan removes her from the children's shelter where she's spent a week and a half and sends her to stay with his mother, Marti. Through her, she meets Carol, who runs the Spokane Animal Shelter, her wayward daughter, Lizzie, and Gunner, a German shepherd who bit a small boy. Angry Lizzie becomes a friend, and training Gunner gives Poppy something to do with her days while she waits, worrying about her Grandma Beth and whether she will be returned to the shelter if she helps the police capture the killer. There are harsh and scary moments and hard truths to be sad about in this modern family tale, but appropriately for the audience, it ends positively, both for dog and child.All the pieces come together for an emotionally satisfying read. (Fiction. 9-12)

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September 1, 2014

Gr 4-6-After her parents' untimely death, Poppy lives a happy and normal life with her grandmother. When her grandma suffers a severe stroke, Poppy is moved into an uncomfortable children's home and her life changes for the worse. While sneaking out to visit her grandmother's nursing home, Poppy witnesses an armed robbery. She and the criminal get a good look at one another before he escapes. For her protection, the police send Poppy to stay with the mother of one of the detectives. Poppy connects with her new caretakers, befriends a troubled girl her own age, and visits an animal shelter where she falls for a dog scheduled to be put down. As she works to save the dog, she gains confidence in herself, and deeper insight into how the world works. She learns the importance of doing the right thing and trusting those who care about her. Dead or missing parents are a familiar device to put a young protagonist alone in the world. This is not the case with Poppy's parents. Despite having no memory of them, she thinks of them often and wonders about the circumstances of their deaths. Being an orphan isn't exciting and cool here. Readers who have experienced some of Poppy's hardships might find her path a little too easy. But those who have not will respond well to the chirpy first-person narration which keeps the tone light and accessible. The book explores some dark themes, but does so in a very gentle way.-Amelia Jenkins, Juneau Public Library, AK

Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 1, 2014
Grades 4-7 After her grandmother has a stroke, Poppy moves into a children's home. Desperate to visit her grandma, she slips away from the center and stumbles onto a violent crime. She is now the prime witness and needs to stay hidden until the killer is caught. The responding officer likes Poppy and arranges for her to stay with his mother. Life there is good, and Poppy enjoys volunteering at a local animal shelter, but her main focus is getting Grandma Beth home and returning to normal life. The story expertly combines multiple threads: Grandma Beth's health, Poppy's uncertain future, the police hunt, and Poppy's attachment to Gunner, a shelter dog with a troubled past. The crime element folds in suspense and a thrilling conclusion, adding a page-turning component to a story full of strong characters and emotions. The result is a compelling, emotionally gripping read. The theme of the bookthat we cannot always control the outcomes of our choicesis laced with hope as Poppy comes to accept her new life.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2014, American Library Association.)