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Keeping Safe the Stars
When crisis hits, a young girl becomes the only one left to take care of her family
Pride, Nightingale and Baby are the Stars. Orphaned and living with their grandfather, Old Finn, in rural Minnesota, the children, like their grandfather, are wary of outsiders. They believe, as Old Finn taught them, in self-reliance.
But then Old Finn falls seriously ill and is taken to the hospital all the way in Duluth, leaving the children to fend for themselves. Pride, as oldest, assumes the lead. Though she makes mistakes, she keeps them afloat; they even earn money for the bus trip to Duluth. But when they finally see Old Finn, he can't walk or even say his own name, and Pride knows her days of keeping safe the Stars are drawing to a close. Self-reliance can't make Old Finn well again. But maybe, just maybe, a secret from Old Finn's past might make a way for them to stay together after all.
A poignant story about family and love, Sheila O'Connor has delivered another extraordinary and mesmerizing tale.
Pride, Nightingale and Baby are the Stars. Orphaned and living with their grandfather, Old Finn, in rural Minnesota, the children, like their grandfather, are wary of outsiders. They believe, as Old Finn taught them, in self-reliance.
But then Old Finn falls seriously ill and is taken to the hospital all the way in Duluth, leaving the children to fend for themselves. Pride, as oldest, assumes the lead. Though she makes mistakes, she keeps them afloat; they even earn money for the bus trip to Duluth. But when they finally see Old Finn, he can't walk or even say his own name, and Pride knows her days of keeping safe the Stars are drawing to a close. Self-reliance can't make Old Finn well again. But maybe, just maybe, a secret from Old Finn's past might make a way for them to stay together after all.
A poignant story about family and love, Sheila O'Connor has delivered another extraordinary and mesmerizing tale.
320 pages, Paperback
First published October 11, 2012
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 147 reviews
February 29, 2016
Imagine being 13 and finding yourself alone with the responsibility of taking care of your little brother and sister after your mother has disappeared and your grandfather is sick with encephalitis. The genre of this of this book is Realistic Fiction. This is Realistic Fiction because it has real people placed in reality. I thought this book was interesting because of how it was plot in the book.
This book took place in the 70's where Nixon was still president. It also took place in Eden and Duluth. Since their mother died, the Star family have lived with their grandpa, Old Finn on a farm he calls Eden. When Nixon was president, it was related to the story because it was the only thing that made Old Finn happy when Nixon had his resignation on TV. It all started when Kathleen, Elise and Baxter.. Those were their nicknames given by their mother who passed away. Their nick names were Nightingale (Elise), Baby (Baxter), and Pride (Kathleen). They were all orphaned until their grandfather, Old Finn also known as Michael Finnegan. Old Finn fell very sick and was sent to Duluth hospital for something worse. It turned out to be encephalitis a sickness to go to the brain. The Stars, thought it was just a fever. With Old Finn in the hospital there is no one to take care of the Stars. They all agreed to do a theme park but no rides. The only ride there was the horse Atticus. They sold crafts, cookies, coffee, and more. Until a mean tourist with two annoying sons came. Pride gave one of the sons a pony ride in the horse but the child would not get off. Pride started to pull him down until he kicked her in the stomach and the lady blamed Pride for getting her son hurt and she will sue the Stars for not having license to open this theme park. Then, two people came their names were Nash and his daughter Sage. Bash tried doing a report on the Stars because of their amazing theme park with good prices. Pride has told many lies to this man Nightingale hates when lies are told. Pride was trying to fix everything but made everything worse. Nash and Sage tried getting information on the Stars family. They tried hiding from him because they didn't want the report on them in a magazine. Old Finn wanted their lives private. She tried to sneak in the hospital to visit Old Finn when he was sick until the doctor told Pride that he was want to Duluth hospital because the sickness got worse. Then they found letters Old Finn wrote to this woman named Justine who lived in Paris and now lives in Duluth. They started to save money to go to Duluth hospital but the Stars were poor so it was a difficult job. When they saved enough money they were able to go to Duluth hospital. Pride thought Justine would help them with the money to help Old Finn. They reached the hospital but could only have ten minutes with Old Finn. When they saw him he looked the opposite of what he used to look like. He looked worn down, tired and sad. He looked like he was very sick. He could not speak and he could barely write. When the Stars saw him it was heartbreaking. They had to leave but they had to find Justine first. When they read the letters it said that she was an artist. They all went to the library to see if the librarian knew who she was. Turns out she was a famous teacher who taught art. They found her address and went to her house. They explained what happened and they went to Duluth hospital once again. Justine went to Old Finns room to see him until she and the Stars had to leave. Soon after when they went in the hospital, they ran into Thor, their neighbor friend, with Nash and Sage. Nash looked shocked when they saw them. Justine said that she probably wants everyone to explain what is happening. They all went to Justine's house and talked about everything. He next morning Justine said that what is Old Finns sickness and Nightingale said that it was encephalitis. Then in the evening they all went to the hospital to visit Old Finn to watch the Nixon resignation. When they all went gone with E doctor said that if the sickness is mild Old Finn could live. So Justine said while Old Finn is healing she will live with the Stars. Nash never write the magazine after what the Stars told him. Thor would take care if them while Old Finn was healing. Everything was ok. The type of conflict this book was person vs fate because the Stars didn't have a license for the theme park and the lady was going to sue. Also Old Finn was sick with encephalitis. The theme of this book was that you need to stick with your family because even with Old Finn sick they all still stuck together. For example, the quote that Old Finns caretaker said, "All this love here, man. And all this love, it's good." Even though in this moment Old Finn was sick everyone was still happy and they stuck together.
The character's motivation is that Pride needed money to go to the Duluth Hospital. She had to sacrifice the Stars reputation to go see Old Finn. She also had to say many lies in order to go to visit Old Finn. For Example when Nightingale saw that Pride was lying, their sister relationship was bad. They fought most of the time, but when they saw Old Finn, it all stopped. The title, "Keeping Safe The Stars", is important to the story because It Pride, Nightingale, and Baby are basically trying to keep the family safe, and the family last name is Stars. Also it relates to the title because Pride her hardest to keep her family safe. She had to earn money, deal with the mean lady who said she would sue. Finally the major event that changed the character was that when Pride saw what Old Finn looked like she got scared and worried and she had to toughen up and save her family.
I was surprised when they found out that Old Finn was sick with encephalitis. They all thought he had a normal fever, but he got sent to a more safe hospital. Which was the Duluth hospital. What I disliked about the book is how Baby was really annoying. Baby would always blurt things out at the wrong time and made matters worse when Pride was trying to fix things with the family. He was also really stubborn when it comes to Sage. When Nash and Sage had to leave Baby would not leave them alone and it was really annoying. An interesting thing I learned form this book was that family is the most important thing because when they all reunited with Justine, Old Finn seemed happy. Even though he was sickly.
I would rate this book out of 1 to five out of 4 out of five because the ending had me left with many questions. It ended with a mystery if Old Finn would ever get better because the doctor said it would be a mild infection and they never said if he would get better. I would recommend this book to my mom because she would like mid-dramatic book about a family member having a sickness or family drama. After reading this book it left me thinking how family can be so important and probably impossible to take care for, but 13 year old Pride did it all herself with the help of Nightingale and Baby.
This book took place in the 70's where Nixon was still president. It also took place in Eden and Duluth. Since their mother died, the Star family have lived with their grandpa, Old Finn on a farm he calls Eden. When Nixon was president, it was related to the story because it was the only thing that made Old Finn happy when Nixon had his resignation on TV. It all started when Kathleen, Elise and Baxter.. Those were their nicknames given by their mother who passed away. Their nick names were Nightingale (Elise), Baby (Baxter), and Pride (Kathleen). They were all orphaned until their grandfather, Old Finn also known as Michael Finnegan. Old Finn fell very sick and was sent to Duluth hospital for something worse. It turned out to be encephalitis a sickness to go to the brain. The Stars, thought it was just a fever. With Old Finn in the hospital there is no one to take care of the Stars. They all agreed to do a theme park but no rides. The only ride there was the horse Atticus. They sold crafts, cookies, coffee, and more. Until a mean tourist with two annoying sons came. Pride gave one of the sons a pony ride in the horse but the child would not get off. Pride started to pull him down until he kicked her in the stomach and the lady blamed Pride for getting her son hurt and she will sue the Stars for not having license to open this theme park. Then, two people came their names were Nash and his daughter Sage. Bash tried doing a report on the Stars because of their amazing theme park with good prices. Pride has told many lies to this man Nightingale hates when lies are told. Pride was trying to fix everything but made everything worse. Nash and Sage tried getting information on the Stars family. They tried hiding from him because they didn't want the report on them in a magazine. Old Finn wanted their lives private. She tried to sneak in the hospital to visit Old Finn when he was sick until the doctor told Pride that he was want to Duluth hospital because the sickness got worse. Then they found letters Old Finn wrote to this woman named Justine who lived in Paris and now lives in Duluth. They started to save money to go to Duluth hospital but the Stars were poor so it was a difficult job. When they saved enough money they were able to go to Duluth hospital. Pride thought Justine would help them with the money to help Old Finn. They reached the hospital but could only have ten minutes with Old Finn. When they saw him he looked the opposite of what he used to look like. He looked worn down, tired and sad. He looked like he was very sick. He could not speak and he could barely write. When the Stars saw him it was heartbreaking. They had to leave but they had to find Justine first. When they read the letters it said that she was an artist. They all went to the library to see if the librarian knew who she was. Turns out she was a famous teacher who taught art. They found her address and went to her house. They explained what happened and they went to Duluth hospital once again. Justine went to Old Finns room to see him until she and the Stars had to leave. Soon after when they went in the hospital, they ran into Thor, their neighbor friend, with Nash and Sage. Nash looked shocked when they saw them. Justine said that she probably wants everyone to explain what is happening. They all went to Justine's house and talked about everything. He next morning Justine said that what is Old Finns sickness and Nightingale said that it was encephalitis. Then in the evening they all went to the hospital to visit Old Finn to watch the Nixon resignation. When they all went gone with E doctor said that if the sickness is mild Old Finn could live. So Justine said while Old Finn is healing she will live with the Stars. Nash never write the magazine after what the Stars told him. Thor would take care if them while Old Finn was healing. Everything was ok. The type of conflict this book was person vs fate because the Stars didn't have a license for the theme park and the lady was going to sue. Also Old Finn was sick with encephalitis. The theme of this book was that you need to stick with your family because even with Old Finn sick they all still stuck together. For example, the quote that Old Finns caretaker said, "All this love here, man. And all this love, it's good." Even though in this moment Old Finn was sick everyone was still happy and they stuck together.
The character's motivation is that Pride needed money to go to the Duluth Hospital. She had to sacrifice the Stars reputation to go see Old Finn. She also had to say many lies in order to go to visit Old Finn. For Example when Nightingale saw that Pride was lying, their sister relationship was bad. They fought most of the time, but when they saw Old Finn, it all stopped. The title, "Keeping Safe The Stars", is important to the story because It Pride, Nightingale, and Baby are basically trying to keep the family safe, and the family last name is Stars. Also it relates to the title because Pride her hardest to keep her family safe. She had to earn money, deal with the mean lady who said she would sue. Finally the major event that changed the character was that when Pride saw what Old Finn looked like she got scared and worried and she had to toughen up and save her family.
I was surprised when they found out that Old Finn was sick with encephalitis. They all thought he had a normal fever, but he got sent to a more safe hospital. Which was the Duluth hospital. What I disliked about the book is how Baby was really annoying. Baby would always blurt things out at the wrong time and made matters worse when Pride was trying to fix things with the family. He was also really stubborn when it comes to Sage. When Nash and Sage had to leave Baby would not leave them alone and it was really annoying. An interesting thing I learned form this book was that family is the most important thing because when they all reunited with Justine, Old Finn seemed happy. Even though he was sickly.
I would rate this book out of 1 to five out of 4 out of five because the ending had me left with many questions. It ended with a mystery if Old Finn would ever get better because the doctor said it would be a mild infection and they never said if he would get better. I would recommend this book to my mom because she would like mid-dramatic book about a family member having a sickness or family drama. After reading this book it left me thinking how family can be so important and probably impossible to take care for, but 13 year old Pride did it all herself with the help of Nightingale and Baby.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 1, 2013
Didn't like this much. Set in the early 1970s with way too many references to communes, hippies and Nixon's impeachment. Just the kind of tale every 12 year old in 2013 is dying to read.
It tells the story of three orphans who are living with their Grandpa somewhere in Minnesota. Unfortunately, Grandpa gets sick and they are pretty much on their own and they are terrified of being found out. "Keeping Safe the Stars" could have been a goofy story, it could have been poignant. Instead it was just another author portraying children as little adults with saint-like qualities and very little humor.
Bleh.
It tells the story of three orphans who are living with their Grandpa somewhere in Minnesota. Unfortunately, Grandpa gets sick and they are pretty much on their own and they are terrified of being found out. "Keeping Safe the Stars" could have been a goofy story, it could have been poignant. Instead it was just another author portraying children as little adults with saint-like qualities and very little humor.
Bleh.
October 13, 2012
Life has been filled with upheavals for the Stars. Their father died of cancer, their mother died in a car accident. The kids were in foster care until the grandfather they didn't really know came to get them out. He took them to his farm in Minnesota to raise. He was something of a hermit; a former history professor who got in trouble with the government for protesting the Vietnam War. He is determined to raise the kids to be independent. But when he falls suddenly ill with encephalitis, the kids are left alone to survive.
The oldest child is Pride. She is thirteen. She is a managing sort of child who is fiercely independent and distrustful. She is sure that she can take care of her younger sister Nightingale and little brother Baby. Nightingale is well-read but shy and only eleven. She got her nickname because of her constant habit of wearing nightgowns and no shoes. Baby is six and is a daredevil. One of his adventures left him with stitches on his chin which requires Pride to take him to the doctor to have them removed. The doctor asks a lot of questions about where a grown-up is and why Baby has so many injuries. Pride fends him off with more lies.
Because their grandfather was so suspicious, the kids don't have anyone to turn to for help. The nearest neighbor Thor wants to help but Pride is constantly lying to him about the kids being alone. When a freelance journalist comes to their place to take advantage of the pony rides for his daughter, he starts asking lots of questions. Still Pride is determined to be independent and not ask for help. She has been in foster care and doesn't want to let anyone put them there again.
They pin their hopes on earning the money to get to Duluth where Old Finn is in the hospital to find out what he wants them to do. But things don't go exactly as planned and the kids find that they are not as alone as they had thought they were.
I have read many stories like this before from the Boxcar children to Homecoming by Cynthia Voight. The Northern Minnesota setting near my childhood home - Duluth - and the time period - Nixon's resignation - made this one different. I liked the caring that was evident between the children but I was sad for them that they were so alone.
Fans of historical fiction and stories of independent children will like this one.
The oldest child is Pride. She is thirteen. She is a managing sort of child who is fiercely independent and distrustful. She is sure that she can take care of her younger sister Nightingale and little brother Baby. Nightingale is well-read but shy and only eleven. She got her nickname because of her constant habit of wearing nightgowns and no shoes. Baby is six and is a daredevil. One of his adventures left him with stitches on his chin which requires Pride to take him to the doctor to have them removed. The doctor asks a lot of questions about where a grown-up is and why Baby has so many injuries. Pride fends him off with more lies.
Because their grandfather was so suspicious, the kids don't have anyone to turn to for help. The nearest neighbor Thor wants to help but Pride is constantly lying to him about the kids being alone. When a freelance journalist comes to their place to take advantage of the pony rides for his daughter, he starts asking lots of questions. Still Pride is determined to be independent and not ask for help. She has been in foster care and doesn't want to let anyone put them there again.
They pin their hopes on earning the money to get to Duluth where Old Finn is in the hospital to find out what he wants them to do. But things don't go exactly as planned and the kids find that they are not as alone as they had thought they were.
I have read many stories like this before from the Boxcar children to Homecoming by Cynthia Voight. The Northern Minnesota setting near my childhood home - Duluth - and the time period - Nixon's resignation - made this one different. I liked the caring that was evident between the children but I was sad for them that they were so alone.
Fans of historical fiction and stories of independent children will like this one.
January 17, 2013
In the tradition of WHERE THE LILIES BLOOM, THE HOMECOMING and the more recent SUMMER OF THE GYPSY MOTHS, this is a story about kids who try their mightiest to care for themselves on their land in rural Minnesota after their grandfather is stricken with encephalitis and hospitalized. It helps that Old Finn is suspicious of authority and has trained the three kids in self-reliance, but various adults in their community are inquisitive enough about what's happened to their grandfather and how the children are supporting themselves that the oldest, aptly nicknamed Pride, feels compelled to lie and lie and lie to cover their tracks. The lies are deeply unsettling to the intellectual, but less practical, second child "Nightingale" who spends her days wafting around in nightgowns and bare feet and are hopelessly confusing to the youngest who just can't keep the shifting stories straight and is inclined to blurt out uncomfortable truths at innoportune moments.
This may sound dire, but the Stars' attempts to elude the authorities and the ways they manage to raise enough money to keep themselves in Spaghetti-Os have enough humor to lighten the atmosphere. Plus, they are genuinely likable kids.
One of O'Connor's cleverest choices is to set the story during the summer of Richard Nixon's resignation. This sets the stage for a compelling scene in which Pride watches the resignation speech and sees Nixon as a human being caught in a web of lies which she views as analogous to her own. This resonated with me much more powerfully than I would have expected, given my venomous feelings toward the deservedly disgraced former president. Bravo, Ms. O'Connor!
This may sound dire, but the Stars' attempts to elude the authorities and the ways they manage to raise enough money to keep themselves in Spaghetti-Os have enough humor to lighten the atmosphere. Plus, they are genuinely likable kids.
One of O'Connor's cleverest choices is to set the story during the summer of Richard Nixon's resignation. This sets the stage for a compelling scene in which Pride watches the resignation speech and sees Nixon as a human being caught in a web of lies which she views as analogous to her own. This resonated with me much more powerfully than I would have expected, given my venomous feelings toward the deservedly disgraced former president. Bravo, Ms. O'Connor!
April 17, 2012
Thoroughly enjoyable, absolutely charming, it is a great addition to the shelf that holds Savvy, The Exiles and the Casson Family books by Hilary McKay, and The Penderwicks series.
Orphans living with their Grandpa, Old Finn, they are funny and loving. They are independent and strong kids, home-schooled, but get thrown for a loop when Old Finn suddenly heads to the doctor but doesn't come back home.
The kids pull together and figure out what they have to do to find, and then bring back home, Old Finn.
I loved this book. It takes place in a time period where kids could spend a lot of time alone, where they could do odd jobs to raise money, so you don't spend all your time thinking about how adults today would never let this stand.
Other cool things about the book: The kids lived on a commune, there is a great love story, there is a horse, there are scrappy kids, kindly and grumpy old people, and it's got a lot of humor.
This might be a spoiler but it's important to me: I don't often pick up books that are set in recent historical times. I don't know why, I've liked almost everything I've read that takes place in the '70s. I'm just not interested in reading about the time, I guess. If this book had started off with the historical part, I would never have picked it up. But it doesn't so I was already completely devoted to the family before I realized what time period it is placed in.
Good thinking there, Sheila O'Connor!
Orphans living with their Grandpa, Old Finn, they are funny and loving. They are independent and strong kids, home-schooled, but get thrown for a loop when Old Finn suddenly heads to the doctor but doesn't come back home.
The kids pull together and figure out what they have to do to find, and then bring back home, Old Finn.
I loved this book. It takes place in a time period where kids could spend a lot of time alone, where they could do odd jobs to raise money, so you don't spend all your time thinking about how adults today would never let this stand.
Other cool things about the book: The kids lived on a commune, there is a great love story, there is a horse, there are scrappy kids, kindly and grumpy old people, and it's got a lot of humor.
This might be a spoiler but it's important to me: I don't often pick up books that are set in recent historical times. I don't know why, I've liked almost everything I've read that takes place in the '70s. I'm just not interested in reading about the time, I guess. If this book had started off with the historical part, I would never have picked it up. But it doesn't so I was already completely devoted to the family before I realized what time period it is placed in.
Good thinking there, Sheila O'Connor!
December 29, 2012
Pride, Nightingale, and Baby are three siblings taken in by their grandfather Old Finn after their mother died unexpectedly. Old Finn suddenly gets ill and is hospitalized. Pride, 13 years old, does her best to take of her two younger siblings; she had been taught to be self-reliant and independent while living on a commune with her mother and again with Old Finn, who prefers to live a quiet, hermit-like life.
Things spiral out of control after Pride, Nightingale, and Baby decide to start a business to raise money for food and bus tickets to Duluth to see their grandfather in the hospital. This story will make you worry about whether Pride is doing the right things, make you angry about some suspicious characters who could cause harm to the children, and make you hope as Pride learns more about her grandfather through some old love letters. Set in the 1970s during the Nixon resignation, Nixon's lies parallel Pride's lies she tells to keep her siblings safe. A good story for those that like to see a family struggle to stay together at all costs.
Things spiral out of control after Pride, Nightingale, and Baby decide to start a business to raise money for food and bus tickets to Duluth to see their grandfather in the hospital. This story will make you worry about whether Pride is doing the right things, make you angry about some suspicious characters who could cause harm to the children, and make you hope as Pride learns more about her grandfather through some old love letters. Set in the 1970s during the Nixon resignation, Nixon's lies parallel Pride's lies she tells to keep her siblings safe. A good story for those that like to see a family struggle to stay together at all costs.
January 16, 2025
couldn’t connect to the characters
જ⁀➴ “𝙈𝙖𝙢𝙖 𝙪𝙨𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙨𝙖𝙮 𝙄 𝙘𝙖𝙢𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙝 𝙖 𝙙𝙤𝙚𝙧. 𝙉𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙖𝙡𝙚 𝙖 𝙙𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙢𝙚𝙧. 𝘽𝙖𝙗𝙮 𝙘𝙖𝙢𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙝 𝙖 𝙙𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙧”
જ⁀➴ “𝙈𝙖𝙢𝙖 𝙪𝙨𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙨𝙖𝙮 𝙄 𝙘𝙖𝙢𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙝 𝙖 𝙙𝙤𝙚𝙧. 𝙉𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙖𝙡𝙚 𝙖 𝙙𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙢𝙚𝙧. 𝘽𝙖𝙗𝙮 𝙘𝙖𝙢𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙝 𝙖 𝙙𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙧”
November 26, 2018
This books feels similar to Homecoming by Cynthia Voight. A middle grade book where kids in 1972 are orphaned first and then temporarily (maybe?) abandoned by their grandfather guardian. They try and survive in their own on a remote farm. The book kept my attention.
August 24, 2020
The wifi has been down today which just means reading time for me xD This was beautiful and I cried and I'm so glad Pride finally asked for help lolll
March 9, 2023
Such a great read!!
October 27, 2021
I loved this story and the characters and the absolute tenderness of it all.
December 28, 2012
This is an underappreciated book this year. While it doesn't make my top ten list, it is so much better than so many similar books this year (One for the Murphys, Summer of the Gypsy Moths). Please solve the mystery, someone, of why certain books get attention and others don't.
Sort of a HOMECOMING Jr. I liked all the characters and the setting. The grandfather's illness was distressingly realistic. I wouldn't have minded a little more magical thinking there... The cover blurb makes this sound much sappier than it is--fiercely independent orphan children learn that it takes a village!. The book is better than that.
I was very skeptical about the early-70s setting at first, which seemed likely to be unnecessary, but the author wove the Watergate story in with the kids' plight very nicely.
Sort of a HOMECOMING Jr. I liked all the characters and the setting. The grandfather's illness was distressingly realistic. I wouldn't have minded a little more magical thinking there... The cover blurb makes this sound much sappier than it is--fiercely independent orphan children learn that it takes a village!. The book is better than that.
I was very skeptical about the early-70s setting at first, which seemed likely to be unnecessary, but the author wove the Watergate story in with the kids' plight very nicely.
July 2, 2012
I met Shelia O'Connor at the IRA Convention in Chicago so I could congratulate her on her first book for young adults Sparrow Road which won the IRA Award for Intermediate Fiction. She gave me an autographed advanced copy of Keeping Safe the Stars. Here is a new story about children living on there own. Meet the three Stars led by self-reliant Pride who keeps her siblings together after her grandpa Old Finn falls ill. Set in a Thoreau like Walden, the group uses what they have been taught to keep going forward. Set during the resignation of Nixon when everyone is talking about honesty and lying, truth suffers a bit as the children try to keep their lives going. Beautifully written and another strong effort to capture families pulled apart but trying to hang on to each other.
August 2, 2012
A completely unrealistic story about children who start a business and try to survive on their own. Throughout the read all I could not push out my head these children as raggedy, white-trash kids in a run down, rural area not unlike the setting of the movie, "Winter's Bone." Keeping in mind the story is set in the 1970s and not 2012, it was still completely ridiculous that a 12-year-old with virtually no education would be able to accomplish the activities described in the book. I also do not feel that the inclusion of the events surrounding the Nixon resignation were a valuable complement to the story.
June 2, 2017
Pride, Nightingale, and Baby are three children that are living with their grandfather, Old Finn because their mother and father had passed away. Old Finn takes them in, homeschools them, and teaches them to be self-reliant. One day, Old Finn is sick and leaves them to visit the doctor. He doesn't come back and the children find out that he is in the hospital. They become very resourceful (I've seen Boxcar Children mentioned here) and are bound and determined not to have social services come and get them.
I really liked this book. It was a quick, easy read.
Language: None
Sex: None
Violence: None
I really liked this book. It was a quick, easy read.
Language: None
Sex: None
Violence: None
April 7, 2015
A quick read about three extremely strong and resourceful children. Already orphaned, but being raised by their grandfather, they found themselves suddenly alone again. This is a cute and heartwarming story about the goodness of people, and the power of hope.
September 5, 2018
Great story. It moved quickly without bogging down the reader.
March 24, 2016
Cute and well-written, but very slow moving. I just couldn't get into the story.
August 22, 2017
Great book!
Pride, Nightingale, and Baby are orphans who live with their grandfather in a secluded, 40-acre property of Minnesota, called Eden. Pride is a self-reliant, independent, girl who does whatever she can for her younger siblings, Nightingale is a girl with braids that dust the ground and an intelligent mind, and Baby is the youngest with a daring, adventurist spirit and a tendency to have innapropriate outbursts.
When their grandfather, Old Finn is sent away to a hospital in Duluth, Minnesota with only an instruction to stay with an old, frail lady in a trailer at Eden, Pride knows it is time to step in as the grown-up for the orphans, it is time for her to be the pride and joy Mama imagined.
Things spiral out of control as lies are spread that slip out without intention, all in the fear of losing their Grandfather and all they have ever known. Pride realizes that it is okay to ask for help, and even the liar behind the sweet face, has good intentions. Even a liar tries to do what is best, and good people are there even when life ends up taking an unpredictable twist.
Another wonderful book by Sheila O'Connor that captures, family, love, honesty, and the promise of hope in a profound, easy-to-approach way. Much like Sparrow Road in prose and virtues. For ages 11-14. Will not be forgotten!
Pride, Nightingale, and Baby are orphans who live with their grandfather in a secluded, 40-acre property of Minnesota, called Eden. Pride is a self-reliant, independent, girl who does whatever she can for her younger siblings, Nightingale is a girl with braids that dust the ground and an intelligent mind, and Baby is the youngest with a daring, adventurist spirit and a tendency to have innapropriate outbursts.
When their grandfather, Old Finn is sent away to a hospital in Duluth, Minnesota with only an instruction to stay with an old, frail lady in a trailer at Eden, Pride knows it is time to step in as the grown-up for the orphans, it is time for her to be the pride and joy Mama imagined.
Things spiral out of control as lies are spread that slip out without intention, all in the fear of losing their Grandfather and all they have ever known. Pride realizes that it is okay to ask for help, and even the liar behind the sweet face, has good intentions. Even a liar tries to do what is best, and good people are there even when life ends up taking an unpredictable twist.
Another wonderful book by Sheila O'Connor that captures, family, love, honesty, and the promise of hope in a profound, easy-to-approach way. Much like Sparrow Road in prose and virtues. For ages 11-14. Will not be forgotten!
March 2, 2020
"Keeping Safe the Stars" was a bit of an emotional book, but not overwhelmingly so. It is historic fiction about a young sibling group who found themselves as orphans after tragedy struck until their grandpa showed up to rescue them from the shelter. It takes place during the Richard Nixon Watergate scandal time frame so small references are included here and there throughout the story.
The children are the "stars" referenced to by the title as that is their last name. When their grandpa falls unexpectedly ill and is sent away to a nearby city hospital, it becomes up to the kids to survive and keep their family together.
This story takes you into the emotions, thoughts, and adventures both big and small these children go through to make it all while trying to find a way to see their grandpa again in hopes he will be able to come home soon.
Well worth the read, and a story one can definitely get lost in.
The children are the "stars" referenced to by the title as that is their last name. When their grandpa falls unexpectedly ill and is sent away to a nearby city hospital, it becomes up to the kids to survive and keep their family together.
This story takes you into the emotions, thoughts, and adventures both big and small these children go through to make it all while trying to find a way to see their grandpa again in hopes he will be able to come home soon.
Well worth the read, and a story one can definitely get lost in.
July 16, 2021
Keeping Safe the Stars has been sitting in my towering to-be-read pile for a while. I picked it up on a rainy day and finished it in one big gulp (this is easier to do with a children’s book). I loved it (ok I say too much)! A set of siblings, raised off the grid, by their eccentric, loving grandfather, are all of a sudden left to their own devices when their grandfather is hospitalized with a brain infection. Taught to be self-reliant, the three siblings come up with creative ways to survive. It’s not just a novel about self-reliance, but also about learning to accept help from neighbors and friends, something they did not learn from their reclusive grandfather. It’s also a story about the meaning of family, honesty and vulnerability. A great novel, packed with plenty of action, for ages 8-12.
February 24, 2020
The beautiful story of falling love but leaving it in the past to care for these three children after their parents were longer able to do so and the story is so amazing in the way these siblings interact and how a community can raise children together.
I could hardly put this one down and I was sad when I finished it because I didn't want it to be over.
Sometimes, a book is so amazing that I don't want it to end. These characters are like that and the weaving of the community is also stimulating as the story unfolds to reveal everything that leads to the end of difficult situations.
I could hardly put this one down and I was sad when I finished it because I didn't want it to be over.
Sometimes, a book is so amazing that I don't want it to end. These characters are like that and the weaving of the community is also stimulating as the story unfolds to reveal everything that leads to the end of difficult situations.
May 8, 2020
Set during the time period of the Watergate Trials and Nixon’s resignation, three orphaned siblings find themselves without a guardian once more when their grandfather, Old Finn, falls ill with encephalitis. Fiercely guarding his privacy, they strive to maintain their independence on their 40 acre farm, Eden. Yet as the money runs out and the foster system closes in, they must make it to the hospital in Duluth to ask Old Finn what to do. Filled with a sense of foreboding, this novel kept my stomach in knots.
April 5, 2024
This is a story about a young girl and her siblings who were living with her grandfather . When he got sick they were told to wait with a friend of his until he got back. But he didn't come back. Afraid of social services from past experiences these kids rigged up ways to do what they could to survive. I really liked the pluck and ingenuity of the girls in this story. The fact that they had totally opposite approaches to things helped them both in the long run. While the ending was predictable I wouldn't have wanted it to be any different.
July 26, 2017
Adulting is HARD!!! Kids shouldn't have to do it. :/
That being said, this was and absolutely beautiful story. Sad and sweet. I loved the kids. & the writing was amazing.
But I hated how Miss Addie refused to call someone. Like seriously, are you fucking kidding me? -_- and that first customer was s bitch. If I had acted like her kids, my mama woulda smacked me stupid.
But that cover? Absolutely gorgeous.
Recommended for fans of middle grade and contemporary fiction.
That being said, this was and absolutely beautiful story. Sad and sweet. I loved the kids. & the writing was amazing.
But I hated how Miss Addie refused to call someone. Like seriously, are you fucking kidding me? -_- and that first customer was s bitch. If I had acted like her kids, my mama woulda smacked me stupid.
But that cover? Absolutely gorgeous.
Recommended for fans of middle grade and contemporary fiction.
November 15, 2017
This book was super interesting when Old Finn was still alive but when the author started coming in towards the middle, it started to get less and less interesting. On the other hand, throughout the end the book started to become better becasue the kids are realizing who they really are. Overall it was a pretty good book
May 24, 2020
All the characters are well developed and the premise is interesting. This is a sweet story. My only issue is the ending felt too forced and was not fully satisfying. I think this is because when we finally meet Justine, she doesn't seem like the same person who wrote the letters. Her words and actions were not convincing.
August 24, 2024
Such a sweet story that centers around three independent kids who have to learn that sometimes it's OK to ask for help. The heavy subject of a brain infection was handled gently and in a realistic way, and I loved every moment from the beginning to the end. Highly recommend to anyone who likes a sweet story that centers around a family dynamic, or a story about kids surviving on their own.
August 15, 2017
Fantastic story about the strength of children and family. Suspense, humor, and heartbreak are neatly woven together with a very satisfying ending. A classic for sure and a great read-aloud. My kids loved it.
September 4, 2018
For some reason I just couldn't put this book down once I started it. It's not that's it's so much better than other YA books ( although the fact that I couldn't stop reading it definitely is a testament to the skills of the author!) I just had to see what happened!
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