Children's fiction; historical fiction. Aside from the really bad cover design (WHY do publishers have to resist black faces on a cover, anyway?) and the bad jacket summary (oh really? The three kids "become friends" at the end of an unforgettable year? Gee, I really want to read about that), the story isn't bad, but it's not super great either (especially if you don't care for boxing), and certain dialogues and characters (particularly Lila and Mr. Sneed) seem especially contrived and even somewhat one-dimensional. References to reading and libraries, accompanied with the varied backgrounds of the "orphans" seem to indicate that this book was written with the Newbery in mind, but it's no Bud, Not Buddy. ( )

I listened to this book and enjoyed the recording. Set during the Depression, three 12-year-olds' stories intertwine: Hibernia, the reverend's daughter whose mother has left behind a girl who wants to do what's right, but also wants to be a singer; Otis lands in the Mercy Home for Negro Children as the son of loving parents who die in a car crash; and Willie, whose parents are alive, but who flees his abusive father at his mother's behest, and ends up with Otis in the orphanage.

While the story makes much of Joe Louis's impact as a prize fighter and an icon for the characters, the story just doesn't capture the excitement of the times or of any of the characters' lives, so I can't say that I'd recommend it unless someone had read the excellent picture book biography by Matt de la Pena & illustrated by the exceptional Kadir Nelson called "A Nation's Hope: The Story of Boxing Legend of Joe Louis" and was interested in learning some more about it. ( )

I listened to this book and enjoyed the recording. Set during the Depression, three 12-year-olds' stories intertwine: Hibernia, the reverend's daughter whose mother has left behind a girl who wants to do what's right, but also wants to be a singer; Otis lands in the Mercy Home for Negro Children as the son of loving parents who die in a car crash; and Willie, whose parents are alive, but who flees his abusive father at his mother's behest, and ends up with Otis in the orphanage.

While the story makes much of Joe Louis's impact as a prize fighter and an icon for the characters, the story just doesn't capture the excitement of the times or of any of the characters' lives, so I can't say that I'd recommend it unless someone had read the excellent picture book biography by Matt de la Pena & illustrated by the exceptional Kadir Nelson called "A Nation's Hope: The Story of Boxing Legend of Joe Louis" and was interested in learning some more about it. ( )

Narrated by Bahni Turpin, S'von Ringo and JB Adkins. This production just didn't pull me in or I was distracted by other things. Turpin is the stronger narrator, giving Hibernia life as an ambitious and saucy little girl. Hibernia, Otis and Willie have very different backgrounds (Hibernia is daughter of a preacher; Otis and Willie live at Mercy Home for orphans and children whose parents can't care for them) but all three are rooting for boxer Joe Louis and all he represents for the black community. ( )

RGG: Similar to Bud, Not Buddy in setting, characterization. References to Joe Lewis also make a nice connection to Muhammed Ali. The three different points of view and the period references may make this a harder read though. Reading Interest: 10-12.