A Tinfoil Sky

Gr 4–8—Mel's troubled mom, Cecily, says to the 12-year-old, "we're going home." Home is where Grandma Gladys lives, in an apartment with tinfoil in the windows. Mel has never had a real home and is looking forward to the move—until Gladys won't answer the door and shouts to her daughter, "Go away!...There isn't anything left in here for you to steal." Their car breaks down just outside town and Mel and her mom live out of it, going to a soup kitchen and begging for handouts. And then one day, Mel's mom doesn't return, having been caught shoplifting. After being homeless for several days, the girl is found and taken to her Grandma's house-except Gladys makes it obvious that she does not want her there. While Mel counts the days until her mother's release from jail, Gladys's feelings toward her granddaughter slowly soften. Supporting characters include a concerned soup-kitchen worker, a caring librarian, and Mel's first real friend. This heartwarming story is a strong debut. Recommend it to fans of Richard Peck's A Year Down Yonder (Dial, 2000).—Melissa Stock, Arapahoe Library District, Englewood, CO