Welcome Home or Someplace Like It

by Charlotte Agell

A refreshingly witty and moving novel that uncovers the true meaning of "home"

"Mom's left us a lot. She left us in Dayton, Denver, and Detroit. She left us in Tucson and Teaneck. I make it sound like a song, but it's true. Except that we never did live in Tucson, I just needed another T-town. Anyway, if we had lived in Tucson, she would have left us there too. Unlike Dad, she always does come back."

Aggie B. Wing and her brother, Thorne, are relocating again. This time their writer-mom is dropping them off for the summer in Ludwig, Maine, with their estranged ninety-one-year-old grandfather who receives phone calls in his leg and happens to sleep all day. Still, Aggie is determined to find some good in this move. What's not to like about a two-bit town in the middle of nowhere with only a Quikstop, a funny old church called Our Lady of the Wilderness, and a tiny island full of cat bones?

Once Aggie begins exploring the town and meets the indelible Mad, however, things start to get really interesting. Could there be miracles at play in Ludwig? More specifically, could this quirky town be home for once and all? In a stunning debut novel, Charlotte Agell proves that finding your way home can happen in the most unexpected of ways.

Genres: Fiction, Young Adult

240 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 2003

About the author

For more information, please visit author website

Reviews

[Sarah Angliss · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book found its way to me from a free box at my local library. While I do not normally read realistic fiction very often, this book brought me into the small town of Ludwig, Maine where I wished I never had to leave. I love how so many whimsical happenings, or miracles, well, maybe mackerels happened in this town. It was very different and enjoyable and wasn't your average "girl has hard time making friends in school" or "popular rich girl versus back-road redneck" type of realistic fiction book.

[Danielle Bean · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this is a good book but the author puts that all you drink is Moxie. But in Maine, its common to not drink Moxie all the time. This book is one of the best books placed in Maine that I have read that wasn't real. I like how she used some actual things in Maine like Moxie and some of the sayings. Ayah is a common word around here so that is amazing.

[char rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

I grabbed this at random from the J Fic at my childhood library. I spent so many hours in that exact set of shelves it just felt right, and this book was precious. It reminded me so much of my own whimsical, feral, book loving childhood. Read it in an afternoon and it was such a pick me up.

[Jess · Rating 5 out of 5]

Favorite wholesome cozy young adult novel

[Teeyanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this book the main character Aggie B. Wing and her brother Thorne are moved to Maine to live with their Grandfather. Their mother is a writer and she decided to go to a location for inspiration for her new book. Throughout Aggie's stay she does many things, from swimming to chasing chickens. Everything goes downhill when her mother tells her that she has to stay a little longer for research. Aggie starts to feel depressed and stops doing the things she used to. In a few weeks her mother pops up as a surprise to her depressed daughter. At the end of the story, Aggie, Thorne, their mother, and their grandfather are interviewed and asked if they believed in miracles.

[Desiree G. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this book. The book was just right for me on so many levels because the girl move to places shes not really used yo and all and that really relates to me. At first i thought the book was going to be boring, but when i got to the middle it really got good. The book relates to many kids like me and grown ups too. as long as the grown ups have humor and does not get bored easily. This book is not boring what so ever i really like it. Every character is unique, boy or girl. My favorite character is Mad. S he seems pretty cool to me, she's not a girly girl, and she's not a tom boy. She does not care if she gets dirty or anything like that she likes hiking too.

[Sheridan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is about a girl who moves in with her grandpa until her mom can get a house. While she is there her mom goes to Niagra Falls so she can write a love story. So her and her brother have to stay with her grandpa. Her brother isn't very intresting though. He only sits in his room all day. But she meets this girl named mad and they end up becoming good friends and do everything together. There are some more very exciting things in this book but I don't want to give too much away. So read it! It is a very good book! So what are you waiting for?! READ IT!

[M. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aggie and her brother are used to moving from place to place or being dropped off with some old lady or other while their mother gets local feeling for the romance novels she writes. In this story, they are dropped off at the home of their 91 year old grandfather, someone they’ve never met. Lots of gentle adventures plus some good insight into accommodating changes. 4th or 5th and up.

[Hannah · Rating 1 out of 5]

I did not like this book at all. I read it a while ago and all I thought was "when will this book be done????". This book was kinda inapropprite but then again I read it when I was in 3rd grade. I would only recommend this book to people grade 6 and up.

[Shirly · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't mean to read this all in one day, but man, what an odd little book. I can't decide if I liked it, or if I didn't like it and the reason I kept reading was so I can be done with it. I think both, equally - it wasn't great, but I hate leaving a book in the middle.

[Emma · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an ok book to read if you like girl stories and puns.

[Isabel Yo]

it is a really goooood book i want food tho #foreveralone(:

[Houstonion · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not necessarily the most appropriate of all books, but is still good.

[Emily]

Weird and bizarrely charming.