Review Detail

A MILLION WAYS HOME by Dianna Dorisi Winget is a book about Poppy Parker, a little girl with a lot of very big problems. Her parents died when she was a baby. The grandmother with whom Poppy lives has had a stroke and is in the hospital, and Poppy’s living in a group home for kids--plus she’s the witness to a serious crime.

The book follows Poppy as she navigates all of these challenges, and I love that A MILLION WAYS HOME exists for late elementary students. The relationships in it are genuine, Poppy is wonderfully flawed, and the action in the book kept me on the edge of my seat while remaining believable. The book’s subtle teaching of important life lessons--friendships, family, grieving, and responsibility—is terrific and age appropriate. In fact, I recommend it to teachers and school counselors as well as student.

Although the book is about a twelve-year-old girl, boys in the intended age group should enjoy it as well. I highly recommend the book.