Details
Synopsis
After their alcoholic father leaves the family, 13-year-old Pirates-baseball-card-obsessed Toby does everything he can to hide his older brother Jake's drug-use from their depressed mother. As the family begins to crumble, Toby spends his time cleaning up after Jake, from constantly spraying the room with Citrus Magic to keeping their mother in the dark about endless, tangled issues and problems. A vivid, heartfelt story narrated with humor-tinged sadness that carefully explores one family's private pain., Thirteen-year-old Toby, a prematurely gray-haired Pittsburgh Pirates fan and baseball card collector, tries to cope with his brother's drug use, his father's absence, and his mother dating Stanley the Food King.
| Size | | Length: | 188 pages | | Height: | 8.3 in | | Width: | 5.8 in | | Thickness: | 0.8 in | | Weight: | 12.0 oz |
Industry Reviews
"Toby's a likable, relatable protagonist, and he tells his story in very humorous first person as McCormick pulls off that rare feat of treating a serious subject with just the right lightness of tone. Splendidly done."
Kirkus (06/01/2005)
"Readers who already know that the most meaningful moments are often hidden in the little ones will appreciate this compelling and compassionate story."
Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books (07/01/2005)
"Throughout the book, McCormick honestly and dramatically expresses Toby's frantic desire to restore normalcy in his broken home. She credibly develops a plot that demonstrates why playing the role of enabler ultimately does more harm than good, and invites reflective thought and meaningful discussion."
Publishers Weekly (07/11/2005)
"One of the best things in the book is the way McCormick captures Toby's isolation, sadness, desperation."
New York Times Book Review - Lois Metzger (10/23/2005)
|
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
All rights reserved.
