Sunday, November 6, 2011

The Pinballs

by Betsy Byars
I first read this book in 4th grade.  I didn't really connect with it then, but I did later.  It's about 3 children removed from various homes and placed together in a foster home.  As Carlie states, they are pinballs.  No one asks where they want to go, they just put the quarter in and send the kids off.  The two boys in the home with her are not her brothers, nor are they her friends, they are just two other balls that happened to settle in the same nook.  Carlie is right, to a point.  All these children are being hurt by forces and people beyond their control, and they can't stop it.  In the end they realize that the only thing they can choose is who they will be.  Each can make whatever life they choose, no matter where they are sent.

Audience
Some of my 3rd graders have read this book.  The language is simple, yet vivid.  It deals with abuse and abandonment, though not as harshly as it could.

What I Love About This Book
This author always gets some tears from me, and this book is no exception.  I love the nuances of the characters and their situations, and I love hoe Carlie, Harvey, and Thomas J all find they have what they need to be happy, regardless of the choices of others.  I also like the wise adult included in this book.  The foster mother is a minor, but pivotal character

Cautions
Two of the characters come from abusive homes.  There is some swearing in this book

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