Homesick

July 16, 2012
Klise (Grounded) looks at the effects of hoarding and the struggles and joys of smalltown life in this honest, good-natured coming-of-age story set in the early 1980s. Twelve-year-old Benny’s mother leaves his father, whose hoarding has gotten out of control, heading for New Orleans with a promise to come back for Benny. With Benny’s father increasingly unable to care for himself or his son (he won’t let Benny throw away pizza boxes, convinced they will be valuable in the future), the boy spends his time with his loving and quirky neighbors, in particular his father’s best friend, Myron. Benny begins work at Myron’s fledgling radio station, transcribing amusing interviews with locals, including schoolteacher Miss Turnipson, who has entered their Missouri town in a contest to find “the most charming small town in America.” As Benny’s father deteriorates, the neighbors band together. While some things remain open-ended, matters still resolve in a surprising, slightly too-good-to-be-true, yet satisfying way. Klise conjures ample empathy for the residents of Dennis Acres—even Benny’s father who, despite his problems, has a gift for foresight (sometimes). Ages 10–14.

July 1, 2012
Beignet "Benny" Summer knows something's wrong with his father. Dad used to have a "collectibles" store, but since he wouldn't sell his "inventory," he got kicked out for not paying rent. In 1983 Dennis Acres, Mo., a town of 52 (now that Benny's mom's gone home to New Orleans), everyone knows everyone else's business (and most are annoyed by what they know). Benny gets a job at the local radio station to scrape together money to pay the phone bill so he can stay in touch with his mother. She's planning to get settled and return for him at the end of the school year, but Benny's dad is spiraling downward fast. When the town wins a "Most Charming Small Town" contest thanks to Miss Turnipson's (more than) slight embellishment on the application, everyone knows the Summers' house needs help. However, catastrophic changes are in store for everyone, especially Benny. Klise's tale of a small town full of nuts has its touching moments and a strongly voiced narrator, but there's no clear trajectory. Dad's odd prescience--foreseeing the Internet, eBay and smartphones--feels out of character, and the sweet and tightly tied-up finale reads as a bit of a cheat. Readers will respond to Benny's pluck, though, as well as his longing for a home free of junk. A gentle entry in the kid-in-a-quirky-small-town genre. (Historical fiction. 9-12)

COPYRIGHT(2012) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

November 1, 2012

Gr 5-7-Imagine being caught in an impossible home life, powerless and alone with a parent who is descending further every day into mental illness. Klise explores this situation through 12-year-old Benny. It's 1983, and his father's hoarding and paranoia are worsening to the point of making life unbearable. Benny's mom can't take it and goes back to her native New Orleans. It's not until a tornado flattens their tiny Missouri town that his dad gets the help he needs. Particular care is given in depicting a smart and talented father figure, clearly showing that mental illness is totally unrelated to a lack of intelligence. A likable main character, colorful secondary figures, touches of humor, and a well-defined rural setting make this an engaging read. Tech-savvy readers will especially appreciate the predictions of the amazing capabilities of computers in the future, along with the dismissive response to those ideas by the general population. The book's many strengths, however, are marred by highly unlikely plot twists, including a national contest with massive prizes that requires no verification, and by the extremely convenient timing of the catastrophic tornado. Where budgets allow, this is still a valid addition due to the author's popularity and to add collection depth on mental illness.Faith Brautigam, Gail Borden Public Library District, Elgin, IL

Copyright 2012 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.