This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:
Possum Summer
By Jen K Blom
Publication: March 11th 2011 by Holiday House
from Goodreads: Eleven-year-old P (short for Princess, a name she loathes) longs for a pet, but her father insists that all animals on their Oklahoma farm must earn their keep. While he's away on combat duty in Iraq, P tries to turn his cattle dog into her pet and rescues an orphaned opossum that she names Ike. She hand-feeds him, smuggles him into school, and soon he is following her everywhere. P knows she can't keep him forever. Can she teach Ike to survive in the wild before her father gets home and if she does, can she bear to let him go?
How could I not read this one? I mean, really! I'm from the south and in the south we have possums...not sure I'd have one for a pet, but to each his own, or in this case her own. I like that it's set in present day too, with a father serving in Iraq. There are many little girls out there that could relate to this. I'm a sucker for animal stories, like those written by Bill Wallace. (I used to read them aloud and suggest them to my students when we went to the library.) When I saw what Mr. Wallace had to say about this one, I knew I should read it. "A heartwarming, vibrant story. It's a book that middle graders will want to read." --Bill Wallace, author of A Dog Called Kitty If he likes it, I'm sure I will too.
5 comments:
Yep, I know all about possums! Sounds like a great book!
Sounds like a great story, and I LOVE the fact that her father is in Iraq. It's odd that there are so few books out with parents serving in the military (other than WW2 homefront stories... there's a ton of those.) Unless maybe there are a bunch and I just don't know about them. :)
Thanks for sharing this with us. I've added it to my list for my next library trip.
Great site too! I've just bookmarked you so that I'll remember to check back often.
Betsy Parkes
www.the-best-childrens-books.org
That sounds ever so cute! I sure can relate to having opossums around. :) We caught a little one in the garbage bin once and then released him in a more wooded area. I'll have to recommend this to our Children's Librarian. :)
If you also like squirrels, you should read Nuts. I don't get a lot of students who read Wallace any more, but there are a few.
Shelly,
I just found this and I am so STOKED you are waiting on POSSUM SUMMER!
Seriously I am just over the moon! Thank you SO MUCH for choosing PS!!
<3 - Jen k Blom !!
(also happy to hook up with you and talk any time!)
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