About the Author:
Jean Little has been publishing books for young readers for over thirty years, and has won numerous awards and honors. She lives on a farmstead with her sister, her niece and nephew, and a motley crew of animals.
From School Library Journal:
Grade 6-8-When their mother, Angel, takes off again, Willow Jones and her four-year-old brother, Twig, are left with a frail, near penniless, old woman who had agreed to take care of the children for a weekend. When the weekend extends to months and Maisie dies, Willow knows that she must take charge of their situation. With her insistent and encouraging inner voice called Red Mouse, she finds the help needed to leave the threatening streets of Vancouver. The packet of her mother's papers held by Maisie opens another world for the children, sparking Willow's loose-ended, half-recalled memories, and presenting her with family and friends for the first time in her life. The children fly to Ontario, where they are met by their grandmother, who lives in the rural family home with her brother and sister, plus an assortment of animals. Uncle Hum is a blind writer of children's books and the author of the "Red Mouse" stories so familiar to Willow. He responds positively to the children; Aunt Constance, however, is much less accepting. Both difficult and everyday issues are introduced: Angel's drug addiction, Twig's disabilities and how they occurred, the prejudice the children confront, making friends, finding a place in a family. The pacing of this richly textured novel allows characters to develop plausibly, quiet mysteries to unravel logically, and problems to be addressed optimistically. Relationships between adults and children are explored and evolve; motives for adult behaviors are introduced. Readers will come to know and empathize with these well-realized characters and cheer for their triumphs, both minor and great.
Maria B. Salvadore, formerly at District of Columbia Public Library
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.
"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.