Plot Summary: America's had some tough breaks, but after being placed in foster care to get him away from his drug addicted mother, he's got Mrs. Harper and she's going to take care of him always. But first, the courts say he has to go visit his birth mom for just one day, with no supervision. When his birth mom runs an errand and stays gone, America's left in the care of his two half brothers and all of the phone number's he's had to remember don't count for anything when there's no phone in the apartment. One day stretches and stretches and 11 years later he finally gets in front of a judge who can help him get back home. America's not the same kid he was when he left for that one day trip and it's going to take a lot to get him right and work through it.Thankfully, Dr. B is there to help, but will America ever trust anyone in the system again?
Critical Evaluation: Prepare for heartbreak. The realism of this book and the horrors of being lost in the great big system of ours that is designed to protect children like America will make you want to go hug as many kids as you can, and march on Washington to get the system changed. E.R. Frank has a master's degree in social work and it shows in her gritty portrayal of America and his experiences. The mastery of this novel has not gone unnoticed and the book is the winner of several awards, including being an ALA Best Book for Young Adults. Often challenged because of its mature themes and language, this is a must read.
Reader's Annotation: America's got a safe place with Mrs. Harper and she says he can stay with her forever. All he has to do is go visit his real mom for one day and then he can come home, but when his mom's gone and there's no one to ask for help, how can he get home?
About the Author: E.R. Frank (a pen name) is the author of four published novels, one of which, America has also been made into a TV movie. She grew up in Richmond, VA, and after receiving her BA from Vassar and her master's from the Hunter Graduate School of Social Work also earned a post graduate certificate from New York's Institute for Contemporary Pyschotherapy.
She lives in New Jersey with her husband and two children.
Information retrieved from efrank.com
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Curriculum Ties: N/A
Booktalking Ideas: How easy do you think it is to get lost in the system? Is America believable as a protaganist?
Reading Level: 10+
Interest Age: 14+
Challenge Issues: Alcohol Use, Sex, Incest, Mature Themes, Language
Challenge Response: To defend this title, I would work with child pyschologists and social workers to show the importance of titles like this.
Why is This Included: An ALA Best Book for Young Adults it covers a hard subject extremely well.
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