
Reach for this book when your child expresses feelings of displacement, or when they struggle to trust that they truly belong in their family or peer group. It is an ideal choice for navigating the complex emotions of foster care, adoption, or any situation where a child feels like an unwanted guest rather than a permanent member of a household. Eleven-year-old Cory, convinced his new foster parents are just being polite, forms an unlikely bond with Mrs. Miller, a lonely resident of a local nursing home. Together, they embark on a runaway journey that explores the universal need for a place to call home. This gentle chapter book is appropriate for ages 8 to 12 and offers a safe space to discuss trust, the definition of family, and the beauty of intergenerational friendship. It is a quiet, moving choice for helping children see that their worth is not defined by their past or their fears.
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Sign in to write a reviewThemes of feeling unwanted and elder abandonment in nursing homes.
The book deals directly with the foster care system and the emotional trauma of feeling unwanted. The approach is realistic and secular. The resolution is hopeful and grounded in reality: Cory returns to the Scotts with a new understanding of their commitment to him.
A middle-grade reader who is sensitive, observant, and perhaps feeling a bit lost. It is especially resonant for a child in a non-traditional family structure who needs to see their internal anxieties mirrored and then eased.
Read the scenes where Cory and Mrs. Miller are on their own; they are not in grave danger, but their vulnerability is palpable. It can be read cold, but be ready for questions about why Mrs. Miller's family left her at the home. A parent might notice their child withdrawing, acting out to 'test' boundaries, or saying things like, 'You're only nice because you have to be.'
Younger readers will focus on the 'adventure' of running away and the fun of the friendship. Older readers (11-12) will better grasp the nuance of Cory's psychological defense mechanisms and the sadness of Mrs. Miller's situation.
Unlike many foster care stories that focus on abuse, this focuses on the internal struggle to accept love even when it is readily offered.
Cory is an eleven-year-old foster child who has learned to keep his guard up. When he is placed with the Scotts, he interprets their kindness as temporary and their rules as proof that he doesn't fit in. He finds a kindred spirit in Mrs. Miller, an elderly woman who feels discarded in a nursing home. The two decide to run away together to find a place where they are truly wanted, leading to a journey of mutual discovery and a realization of what 'home' actually means.
This overview was generated by AI based on the book's content and reviews, and may not capture every nuance.