"Two of the things Benjamin Hunter received for his twelfth birthday took him completely by surprise: A room and a letter. The room was from his parents. The letter was from his uncle."
Ben was just two years old when he and his uncle, Ian, were last together, so Ben didn't remember him. And no one in Ben's family ever talked about the man. Thenthe letter arrived, changing Ben's life, and changing his family in unexpected ways. And there was the birthday room...
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"Two of the things Benjamin Hunter received for his twelfth birthday took him completely by surprise: a room and a letter. The room was from his parents. The letter was from his uncle."
A room and a letter--both so vague in the abstract, and so full of possibility. On Ben's birthday, however, both weigh heavily on his mind. The room is given to Ben as an artist's studio: his mother tells him, "'If you could paint Yellow Sky among all the clutter on the kitchen table,... just think what you could do here.'" Ben thinks getting a bicycle or big-screen TV might have been easier, and wishes he'd never painted the award-winning Yellow Sky. The letter creates an entirely different set of pressures. It is an invitation to visit his mother's brother, uncle Ian from Eugene, Oregon--the same brother she blames for the accident where Ben lost his little finger. Ben wants to meet his uncle: "Who wouldn't want to meet the person responsible? Wasn't it more weird not to think about it?" But Ben's mother has pushed Ian out of her life, and out of Ben's life, too, until she finally agrees to take her son to Oregon.
From here the story weaves in and out, exploring the complications of love, blame, and guilt. Ben's uncle--about to become a father himself--feels guilty for the accident, Ben's mother blames him. In a plot twist that further accentuates this theme, Ben makes an innocently offhand comment that leads to a little boy falling out of a tree and breaking his arm--a parallel to Ian's own sense of guilt about the accident that hurt Ben. If all of this sounds rather heavy, it is, but Ben's developing relationship with 13-year-old Lynnie and the breezy relief of the goofy interplay with Kale and Elka, the 5-year-old twins, keep the story buoyant. The happy ending, where the dreaded birthday room finds a new and noble purpose, doesn't hurt a bit either. Kevin Henkes, author of the award-winning novels Sun and Spoon, Words of Stone, and Protecting Marie--as well as picture books such as Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse--has a talent for getting straight to the heart of things, lucidly and compassionately portraying the emotions of his characters like few can. (Ages 10 and older)
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Benjamin Hunter receives two surprises on his twelfth birthday: a room and a letter. The room is from his parents. The letter is from his uncle. Ben was just two years old when he and his uncle Ian were last together, so Ben doesn't remember him. Now Ian wants Ben to visit, and Ben has an unexplainable urge to see - and know - his uncle. That is, if Ben's mother can let go of an old grudge long enough to let him have his wish.
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Seller: SecondSale, Montgomery, IL, U.S.A.
Condition: Good. Henkes, Kevin (illustrator). Item in good condition. Textbooks may not include supplemental items i.e. CDs, access codes etc. Seller Inventory # 00052860379
Quantity: 5 available
Seller: BookHolders, Towson, MD, U.S.A.
Condition: Good. Henkes, Kevin (illustrator). [ No Hassle 30 Day Returns ][ Ships Daily ] [ Underlining/Highlighting: NONE ] [ Writing: SOME ] [ Edition: first ] Publisher: Greenwillow Books Pub Date: 9/30/1999 Binding: Hardcover Pages: 160 first edition. Seller Inventory # 6848333
Quantity: 1 available
Seller: Wonder Book, Frederick, MD, U.S.A.
Condition: Very Good. Henkes, Kevin (illustrator). Very Good condition. Very Good dust jacket. A copy that may have a few cosmetic defects. May also contain a few markings such as an owner's name, short gifter's inscription or light stamp. Seller Inventory # J01A-02624
Quantity: 1 available
Seller: Wonder Book, Frederick, MD, U.S.A.
Condition: Good. Henkes, Kevin (illustrator). Good condition. Good dust jacket. A copy that has been read but remains intact. May contain markings such as bookplates, stamps, limited notes and highlighting, or a few light stains. Seller Inventory # H20I-01859
Quantity: 1 available
Seller: Better World Books, Mishawaka, IN, U.S.A.
Condition: As New. Henkes, Kevin (illustrator). 1st. Used book that is in almost brand-new condition. Seller Inventory # 48270720-6
Quantity: 1 available
Seller: Better World Books, Mishawaka, IN, U.S.A.
Condition: Very Good. Henkes, Kevin (illustrator). 1st. Used book that is in excellent condition. May show signs of wear or have minor defects. Seller Inventory # 3397862-6
Quantity: 1 available
Seller: ThriftBooks-Dallas, Dallas, TX, U.S.A.
Hardcover. Condition: Good. No Jacket. Henkes, Kevin (illustrator). Former library book; Pages can have notes/highlighting. Spine may show signs of wear. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less 0.88. Seller Inventory # G0688167330I3N10
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Seller: The Maryland Book Bank, Baltimore, MD, U.S.A.
hardcover. Condition: Very Good. Henkes, Kevin (illustrator). First Edition. Used - Very Good. Seller Inventory # 2-G-3-1467
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Seller: Irish Booksellers, Portland, ME, U.S.A.
Condition: Good. Henkes, Kevin (illustrator). SHIPS FROM USA. Used books have different signs of use and do not include supplemental materials such as CDs, Dvds, Access Codes, charts or any other extra material. All used books might have various degrees of writing, highliting and wear and tear and possibly be an ex-library with the usual stickers and stamps. Dust Jackets are not guaranteed and when still present, they will have various degrees of tear and damage. All images are Stock Photos, not of the actual item. book. Seller Inventory # 15-0688167330-G
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Seller: GF Books, Inc., Hawthorne, CA, U.S.A.
Condition: Good. Henkes, Kevin (illustrator). Book is in Used-Good condition. Pages and cover are clean and intact. Used items may not include supplementary materials such as CDs or access codes. May show signs of minor shelf wear and contain limited notes and highlighting. 0.7. Seller Inventory # 0688167330-2-4
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