Stealing Home

Thomas and Grandfather

by Mary Stolz

Great-Aunt Linzy, whose favorite "sport" is cleaning, visits Thomas and Grandfather, who enjoy fishing and baseball, and they all realize the mixed blessings of having a long-lost relative move in. By the author of The Noonday Friends.

Genres: Childrens

153 pages, Library Binding

Published October 1, 1992

About the author

Mary Stolz was a noted author for children and adolescents whose novels earned critical praise for the seriousness with which they took the problems of young people. Two of her books ''Belling the Tiger'' (1961) and ''The Noonday Friends'' (1965), were named Newbery Honor books by the ALA but it was her novels for young adults that combined romance with realistic situations that won devotion from her fans. Young men often created more problems and did not always provide happy ever after endings. Her heroines had to cope with complex situations and learn how to take action whether it was working as nurses (The Organdy Cupcakes), living in a housing project (Ready or Not), or escaping from being a social misfit by working for the summer as a waitress (The Sea Gulls Woke Me).

Reviews

[Anthony · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thomas likes the cozy lifestyle that he, and his grandfather has, lots of fishing and baseball. When his great-aunt Linzy, moves down from Chicago to Florida to live with them, his coziness is shattered. Thomas has to give up his room, and according to his grandfather be "gracious and understanding", but it's easier said than done, especially when Aunt Linzy takes over the entire house, and Thomas's cat Ringo takes an instant liking to her, and abandons Thomas.

[Charles · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thomas lives with his grandfather near the ocean in Florida. He attends school like all other children his age and his grandfather is retired and enjoying himself fishing and following baseball. Thomas is a fan of the Pittsburgh Pirates baseball team and they listen to games on the radio when teams are playing that they are interested in. The Pirates base for spring training is nearby so they attend a few games. Their television doesn’t work, and grandfather promises to get it fixed “someday.” Their small home is not cleaned on a regular basis, yet the two live there very happily with few cares in the world.
Thomas’ Aunt Linzy, grandfather’s sister-in-law, has not left Chicago in forty years, but she has now sent letters informing them that she is coming to live with them. No reason for the move is given, she informs them when her train will arrive.
The lives of Thomas and his grandfather change when Thomas is forced to vacate his room for Linzy and all her possessions. She embarks on a cleaning and beautification crusade that includes painting the outside of the house. After some initial reluctance and disturbances, Thomas and his grandfather learn to get along with Linzy and she proves useful and helpful in other ways.
This is a story about family and working together. Grandfather never hesitates to accept Linzy into his home, she asks, and he says yes as it is clear, but not stated, that she has no other place to go. It is about adapting and seeing what is best in people and learning to tolerate what they do that riles you. Grandfather is a person for whom the Beatles song, “Let it be” was written. He has a very solid philosophical outlook towards life, and he will let nothing, not even a whirling dervish of a cleaning woman change that.

[Susie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stealing Home by Mary Stolz was a nice book to read to my 9 year old grandson. The book centers its story around 10 year old Thomas and his grandfather who live very simply in a small home on the beach near Miami, FL. Thomas and his grandfather share a passion for the Pirates, who spring train not far from their home. They've lost all their closest relatives and are all each other have (except for a cat and mean duck) until Grandfather's sister-in-law comes for what she terms a visit, but instead shows up with all her belongings and moves in. This story is beautiful in its telling of the relationship between Grandfather and Thomas, about patience and kindness and understanding. It discusses racism and baseball and valuing family. I highly reccommend it to round out a child's library...beyond sci-fi and fantasy and action reading.

[Ellie · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's pretty good.It's for school. :)

[Meghan Armstrong]

Quiet, thoughtful living book for 3rd or 4th graders (good option for urban school setting)

[Aurora Dimitre · Rating 3 out of 5]

this'll go nicely in my classroom library

[Robert · Rating 2 out of 5]

The description GoodReads has listed for this book is for another book; this is not a story about Jackie Robinson.

A boy lives with his grandfather in Florida. They are quite comfortable living near the beach. They solve puzzles, walk along the beach, collect shells, etc. All is good. The boy has a cat.

Then Aunt Linzy comes to visit. She disrupts the harmony of the house. Grandfather and his sister do not get along. The boy is ousted from his bedroom to accommodate her. The cat still sleeps in the boy's room. Linzy messes with everything and moves their stuff around. No one is happy.

The boy learns lessons on how to cope. It seems that Linzy, a widow, has no place of her own and has now moved in permanently. The boy adjusts.

[Brittany]

It was a realy good book and it was not actuly about Baseball it is about a girl named Linzy she came to a relative's house to visit and tidyed,panted,and ironed there cloths

[Darion H]

It was a good book about a grandfather and grand son relationship

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was searching for books set in Florida, for a writing project, when I previewed this children's book set in the Bradenton area.

[Mellanie C]

I registered a book at BookCrossing.com!
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/12896237