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A review by tracybabler
No Fixed Address by Susin Nielsen
5.0
I received a review copy from the Kid Lit Exchange. All opinions are my own.
There is some middle grade that I slog through even though I think the book will be perfectly wonderful for young readers. Then there are books like NO FIXED ADDRESS, which are so fun to read as an adult AND that I think will be great for young readers.
NO FIXED ADDRESSED is about Felix, a mixed-race boy who temporarily becomes homeless while his single mother is between jobs. The pair hide their homelessness while living in their van and scraping by for four months.
There are a lot of delicate moral questions here, as Felix often catches his mom bending the rules, outright lying, and even stealing to make ends meet. He struggles with anger at how his parents' actions consistently make his life more difficult, with friends who don't understand, and with the daily difficulties of living in a van (e.g., where do you go to the bathroom in the middle of the night?).
It's a funny, heartfelt book that should be used as a resource for talking about the different ways homelessness present in students' lives. Or just to be enjoyed. Or both.
Parents should be aware that there is some sexual content, so if that's an issue for you, reserve this for older MG readers.
There is some middle grade that I slog through even though I think the book will be perfectly wonderful for young readers. Then there are books like NO FIXED ADDRESS, which are so fun to read as an adult AND that I think will be great for young readers.
NO FIXED ADDRESSED is about Felix, a mixed-race boy who temporarily becomes homeless while his single mother is between jobs. The pair hide their homelessness while living in their van and scraping by for four months.
There are a lot of delicate moral questions here, as Felix often catches his mom bending the rules, outright lying, and even stealing to make ends meet. He struggles with anger at how his parents' actions consistently make his life more difficult, with friends who don't understand, and with the daily difficulties of living in a van (e.g., where do you go to the bathroom in the middle of the night?).
It's a funny, heartfelt book that should be used as a resource for talking about the different ways homelessness present in students' lives. Or just to be enjoyed. Or both.
Parents should be aware that there is some sexual content, so if that's an issue for you, reserve this for older MG readers.