Overview

Eleven-year-old April Sloane has never set foot in a school before, and now that President Hoover and his wife are building a one-room schoolhouse in the hollow of the Blue Ridge Mountains where April lives, she is eager to attend it. But these are the Depression years, and Mama, who has been grieving ever since the accidental death of her seven-year-old son, wants April to stay home and do the chores around their dilapidated farm. With her grandmother's intercession, April is grudgingly allowed to go. The kind teacher encourages her apt pupil, who finds a new world opening up to her. But at home, April cannot repair the relationship with her mother, and worse, her mother overhears the dark secret April confesses to her teacher regarding the true cause of her brother's death, for which April feels responsible.

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9780606379960

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Nothing is...predictable...April's coming-of-age...is poignant, realistic, and somber, and reflective of the strength April has found within. Horn Book, Starred Ray's loving attention to setting, character, and detail makes this debut special...based on real events and a real teacher. KIrkus Reviews, starred review Ray sensitively captures the atmospheric flavor...treat[s] her characters as real, complex people...A warm but not sentimental coming-of-age story. The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books excellent portrayal...rises to the top....seamlessly incorporates historical facts into the narrative...engaging character...first-rate purchase for all libraries. School Library Journal, Starred review fascinating historical detail...will haunt readers, especially since there's no patched-on happy solution to the poverty, anger and sorrow. Booklist, ALA

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