Where Do You Stay?

Gr 5—7—Jerome is living with his aunt and her family after the death of his mother. The sixth grader is processing his loss while also adjusting to a new family life with older cousin Damon, who resents his presence, and younger cousin Monte. Jerome meets Mr. Willie, an older man squatting in the carriage house of an abandoned mansion in the neighborhood, and the two strike up a friendship over a shared love for piano playing. Jerome has someone to talk to about his mother and slowly comes to terms with life in his adoptive family. This short novel captures the fledgling relationship and the difficulties in communication that can occur. The parallel between Mr. Willie's homelessness and Jerome's emotional homelessness are touching as the two go about creating a garden together. Recollections of his mother's teachings are shown in italics and are spot-on in portraying the world through the 11-year-old's eyes.—Shawna Sherman, Hayward Public Library, CA