"For seven teens in Los Angeles, the street is their home."Jessica Blank's 2007 "Almost Home" introduces her readers to seven unforgettable teens who form their own dysfunctional family, complete with love and belonging, abuse and betrayal. Once the hard cover book is open the reader is introduced first to the story and life of a twelve year old girl named Eeyore and the life and obstacles she faces.
Each chapter is divided amongst different tales and life stories of each teen. After Eeyore we are introduced to Rusty, then Squid, Scabius, Critter, Laura, and last but not least Tracy. These girls and boys each search for someone/some family to love and care for them.
Without giving too much information away about each teen, I would like to include in Blank's Author's Note at the end of the novel, she states that "all of the kids in Almost Home are fictional, but unfortunately, their situation isn't. More than 1.5 million "throwaways," kids who are kicked out or abandoned by their parents." Blank's novel includes resources of programs to serve young teens and help them in times of need.
Blank's young adult novel could be geared toward students as young as middle school to high school students. Living on the street is not what these teens wanted, but to live normal lives, this novel introduces the life of each teen and the obstacles they face.
http://www.teenstroubled.org/ : Browse resources and treatments for troubled teens.
*Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers, 2008 Nominations
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