More than anything, ten-year-old Weezie wants to please her momma. She babysits her spoiled half-sister, Ruth Ann, and little Jackson. She makes tea for Momma in Gramma Emmeline’s beautiful teapot. She even tries to cook dinner. But nothing turns out quite right. And Momma is never pleased. Hard times and a daddy who ran off before she was born seem to have stolen all of Momma’s love.
If only Weezie could find her daddy, she’s sure her life would be happier. Tired of making up stories about a parent she knows nothing about, Weezie teams up with her bike-riding buddy, Calvin, and new friend, Louella, to find her mysterious father. Does he drive a truck? Sing country and western songs? Why, her real daddy might even be better than the made-up father she’s been telling lies about at school! Now, all she has to do is find him.
Jean Van Leeuwen’s poignant, powerful novel introduces a feisty heroine whose brave search proves that even a life that’s missing important pieces can be chock full of things that matter.
Arvustused
[ T]his quiet book reveals the capacity for good within the charactersand leaves readers with a sense of empathy and understanding about the importance of self-confidence. School Library Journal (starred review)
This tightly written chapter book has just the right amount of pathos for middle-grade readers. Kirkus Reviews
Van Leeuwen avoids a happy ending that would ring false with the novels unstinting realism, but Weezies newfound strength and her growing understanding of the murkiness of life and love make for a satisfying finish. Publishers Weekly
Readers drawn by Weezies matter-of-fact narrative will come away admiring her resilience and grit Booklist
Jean Van Leeuwen is the author of more than fifty childrens books from picture books to beginning readers to middle-grade fiction, including The Great Cheese Conspiracy and Five Funny Bunnies: Three Bouncing Tales, illustrated by Anne Wilsdorf. Her books have won numerous awards, including the William Allen White Award, the South Carolina Childrens Book Award, the Washington Irving Childrens Choice Award, and many ALA Notable Book citations. Her popular Oliver and Amanda Pig Easy-to-Read series was called timeless as the truths of childhood by the New York Times. A former childrens book editor, she lives in Chappaqua, New York.
