Soupy Leaves Home

Gr 6 Up—Bookish Pearl cuts her hair short, dons a newsboy cap, and takes off in the night, intending not to be found. Wandering the railroad tracks disguised as a boy, she meets a seasoned runaway named Ramshackle, a kindly tramp who has hobo wisdom to spare. In this book set in a lushly depicted Depression-era America, Pearl (dubbed "Soupy" at a hobo encampment) and Ramshackle travel the country encountering criminality and compassion alike. Throughout their journey, Ramshackle gently invites Soupy to tell her story, though she is hesitant. Their philosophical conversations in train cars and by the campfire are eventually brought into sharp relief with brief flashbacks of the harsh world Soupy has escaped. Illustrator Pimienta works in largely monochromatic and moody tones sprinkled with gloriously vivid maps of the journey and evocative daydreams. Castellucci incorporates well-researched aspects of hobo life that will capture the imagination of those who have fantasized about life on their own, and undercurrents of feminism flow throughout Soupy's odyssey. While the protagonists' meandering heart-to-hearts can be irksomely vague, the moving lessons of honor and gratitude will resonate with sensitive readers.