About This Book
A parent would reach for this book when their middle-schooler is struggling with family volatility, grief, or a sense of being the odd one out in a chaotic home environment. Tobin is a seventh-grader whose life has been spiraling since his mother's death, leaving him in a house filled with an angry father, a checked-out older brother, and a grandmother who is doing her best but cannot fix everything. His grades are failing and his temper is rising until a science project with a peculiar classmate named Henry introduces him to the world of raising chickens. Through the steady, grounding work of caring for living creatures, Tobin begins to find his own worth and a sense of calm that his home life lacks. The story deals honestly with the messiness of grief and poverty without becoming overly dark. It is an excellent choice for ages 10 to 14, providing a realistic but hopeful roadmap for how responsibility and unexpected friendship can help a child navigate emotional upheaval.
