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almond_cheese's review
emotional
informative
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
bkbookend's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Carry Me Home is a beautiful coming of age story set in Montana focusing on our main character Lulu, as she struggles with the pressures of homelessness and poverty after her mother passes away. The book documents the decline of their living conditions as Lulu’s father fails to find adequate housing and work after their move from Texas. Lulu and her sister Serena are left alone for the larger part of the story as their father tries to keep ends met and their heads above water.
As a middle grade fiction, this is geared more toward the younger end of this age range, as evidenced by the writing. Though written for a very young audience, the themes of this are quite heavy and open up conversation between parents and children on the reality of poverty in America and the power of asking for help. The perspective of Lulu gave incredible depth to what a middle school student experiences in such an uncertain situation and the shame and fear that come with it.
All in all, this was a short but powerful read that will sit with me for a time to come.
anxiouslybooked's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Thank you @prhaudio for the audiobook of this absolute GEM of a book.
Lulu and her sister Serena are living in a Suburban with their father. But when they wake up and he is gone, and they don’t see him for days, they know they should be worried. When they fine some money in their dads wallet they try to stretch is as best they can but they get more and more nervous every day.
Honestly this book belongs in EVERY SINGLE CLASSROOM and LIBRARY. It’s such an emotional novel that pulls you in from the start. I was teary-eyed multiple times while listening and listening every second I possibly could.
If you like The Benefits of Being an Octopus, this book is for you. It is such a beautiful story of never losing hope in the ones you love and persevering through hardships.
HIGHLY RECOMMEND!
Lulu and her sister Serena are living in a Suburban with their father. But when they wake up and he is gone, and they don’t see him for days, they know they should be worried. When they fine some money in their dads wallet they try to stretch is as best they can but they get more and more nervous every day.
Honestly this book belongs in EVERY SINGLE CLASSROOM and LIBRARY. It’s such an emotional novel that pulls you in from the start. I was teary-eyed multiple times while listening and listening every second I possibly could.
If you like The Benefits of Being an Octopus, this book is for you. It is such a beautiful story of never losing hope in the ones you love and persevering through hardships.
HIGHLY RECOMMEND!
foreverbooked86's review
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
3.5
missmeganmann's review
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
This was absolutely stunning. The idea that this dad, so overcome with grief and swimming under the weight of hospital bills (American healthcare, AM I RIGHT?), believed that getting a suburban to live in and driving states away with his two daughters is HEARTBREAKING. A child being so let down by the adults around her that she can’t trust anyone with the weight of her situation is HEARTBREAKING. Wanting to be a child and having to shoulder such burdens is HEARTBREAKING.
This was a truly incredible story.
This was a truly incredible story.
kenna92005's review
5.0
Carry me home was a tough book to read through and mainly for the emotional impact of it. It was definitely emotional and thought-provoking. I work as a school social worker so homeless youth is a population I have helped with some. This book made me reflect on how I approach conversations with students. It’s made me reflect on my own social work practices.
I really enjoyed reading about the characters and I felt like there were good arcs for the characters. It was hard to think that kids this young are homeless, but all too often it is a reality.
About halfway through I kept wondering how could this continue? How is no one checking in to this more? But then I think of how many kids stay under the radar of school officials until something finally breaks through the surface of secrecy.
This book is great in that anyone can take and learn from this book. As parents it’s a good book to read together and answer any questions your kid may have, or identify trusted adults your child can go to for help. As kids you could read this book and have conversations with friends on how you can help others that may be exhibiting signs of homelessness or signs of needing help. As school employees this can be a good book to reflect on your current practices with homeless youth and families. What is your district doing to help?
If you want to read a book that is thought provoking but also on the emotional side, this is a good one. It’s a conversation starter.
I really enjoyed reading about the characters and I felt like there were good arcs for the characters. It was hard to think that kids this young are homeless, but all too often it is a reality.
About halfway through I kept wondering how could this continue? How is no one checking in to this more? But then I think of how many kids stay under the radar of school officials until something finally breaks through the surface of secrecy.
This book is great in that anyone can take and learn from this book. As parents it’s a good book to read together and answer any questions your kid may have, or identify trusted adults your child can go to for help. As kids you could read this book and have conversations with friends on how you can help others that may be exhibiting signs of homelessness or signs of needing help. As school employees this can be a good book to reflect on your current practices with homeless youth and families. What is your district doing to help?
If you want to read a book that is thought provoking but also on the emotional side, this is a good one. It’s a conversation starter.
aclopez6's review
5.0
Thank you, Netgalley, for the opportunity to read an arc version of this book!
Wow, this was a sweet book. Lulu is a powerful main character--she has the best of intentions and desires for her sister and father, but she is also young and just trying to be happy, so some of her actions can appear selfish or unthoughtful. As a teacher, I was thinking of this book through the lens of, “Would I teach this?”, “What would students stand to gain?”. This is a solid empathy-building book centered on a family experiencing housing insecurity/homelessness, best suited for middle grade students. Lulu experiences ups and downs, and finds hope in other people through their kind and generous actions. Carry Me Home feels heavy at times, but there are moments of light to keep the reader engaged. Highly recommend this book--still reflecting on whether it is appropriate for my own classroom!
Wow, this was a sweet book. Lulu is a powerful main character--she has the best of intentions and desires for her sister and father, but she is also young and just trying to be happy, so some of her actions can appear selfish or unthoughtful. As a teacher, I was thinking of this book through the lens of, “Would I teach this?”, “What would students stand to gain?”. This is a solid empathy-building book centered on a family experiencing housing insecurity/homelessness, best suited for middle grade students. Lulu experiences ups and downs, and finds hope in other people through their kind and generous actions. Carry Me Home feels heavy at times, but there are moments of light to keep the reader engaged. Highly recommend this book--still reflecting on whether it is appropriate for my own classroom!
swim559's review
emotional
hopeful
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
embe94's review
5.0
This is FANTASTIC. Gosh. You can really feel Lulu’s turmoil, and how she’s trying so hard to do what she thinks needs to be done. The ongoing symbolism of the cranes- paper or otherwise- was so amazing, and the ending- when she starts to realize how many people care- had me in tears. It’s definitely the kind of book you’d read when things feel hopeless, and when you’re doubting in the goodness of others.