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Tillerman Cycle #1
Homecoming
The Tillerman kids' mother just left them one day in a car in a mall parking lot. Their father, too, had left them a long time ago. So, as usual, it was up to thirteen-year-old Dicey, the eldest of four, to take care of everything, make all the decisions, feed them, find places to sleep. But above all, Dicey would have to make sure to avoid the authorities who would split them up and place them in foster homes. Deep down, she hoped they could find an adult they could trust, someone who would take them in and love them. But she was afraid it was too much to hope for....
320 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1981
627 people are currently reading
14418 people want to read
About the author
Cynthia Voigt
86 books1,023 followersCynthia Voigt is an American author of books for young adults dealing with various topics such as adventure, mystery, racism and child abuse.
Awards:
Angus and Sadie: the Sequoyah Book Award (given by readers in Oklahoma), 2008
The Katahdin Award, for lifetime achievement, 2003
The Anne V. Zarrow Award, for lifetime achievement, 2003
The Margaret Edwards Award, for a body of work, 1995
Jackaroo: Rattenfanger-Literatur Preis (ratcatcher prize, awarded by the town of Hamlin in Germany), 1990
Izzy, Willy-Nilly: the Young Reader Award (California), 1990
The Runner: Deutscher Jungenliteraturpreis (German young people's literature prize), 1988
Zilverengriffel (Silver Pen, a Dutch prize), 1988
Come a Stranger: the Judy Lopez Medal (given by readers in California), 1987
A Solitary Blue: a Newbery Honor Book, 1984
The Callender Papers: The Edgar (given by the Mystery Writers of America), 1984
Dicey's Song: the Newbery Medal, 1983
Awards:
Angus and Sadie: the Sequoyah Book Award (given by readers in Oklahoma), 2008
The Katahdin Award, for lifetime achievement, 2003
The Anne V. Zarrow Award, for lifetime achievement, 2003
The Margaret Edwards Award, for a body of work, 1995
Jackaroo: Rattenfanger-Literatur Preis (ratcatcher prize, awarded by the town of Hamlin in Germany), 1990
Izzy, Willy-Nilly: the Young Reader Award (California), 1990
The Runner: Deutscher Jungenliteraturpreis (German young people's literature prize), 1988
Zilverengriffel (Silver Pen, a Dutch prize), 1988
Come a Stranger: the Judy Lopez Medal (given by readers in California), 1987
A Solitary Blue: a Newbery Honor Book, 1984
The Callender Papers: The Edgar (given by the Mystery Writers of America), 1984
Dicey's Song: the Newbery Medal, 1983
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,602 reviews
December 4, 2013
Ah....Homecoming. This is one of the few books I read in junior high that I still love reading from time to time.
The book is the story of Dicey, a young teen, and her three siblings. Their mother, who is suffering from poverty and mental illness, abandons them in her old beat up car in the mall parking lot. After waiting for her to come back and realizing that she isn't going to, Dicey takes charge. With the little money they have, they decide to take a journey to find some relatives up north. Walking most of the way, sleeping and camping in random places, Dicey leads her family north. I don't want to spoil the rest of the book, but Dicey eventually meets up with some family and it is not at all what she was expecting.
Dicey is one of my favorite heroines. I remember looking up to her as I read this book as a pre-teen. She was so determined, so strong, and had so little fear. She simply got up each day and kept going, even though they didn't know where their next meal would come from, even though they were hungry and tired. Dicey had so much faith that she would eventually find a home for herself and her siblings and was so set on keeping the four of them together. She was so protective of her brothers and sisters. Growing up, I wanted to be as strong as she was.
Even though this is technically a children's/YA novel, it is a great read for adults, too.
The book is the story of Dicey, a young teen, and her three siblings. Their mother, who is suffering from poverty and mental illness, abandons them in her old beat up car in the mall parking lot. After waiting for her to come back and realizing that she isn't going to, Dicey takes charge. With the little money they have, they decide to take a journey to find some relatives up north. Walking most of the way, sleeping and camping in random places, Dicey leads her family north. I don't want to spoil the rest of the book, but Dicey eventually meets up with some family and it is not at all what she was expecting.
Dicey is one of my favorite heroines. I remember looking up to her as I read this book as a pre-teen. She was so determined, so strong, and had so little fear. She simply got up each day and kept going, even though they didn't know where their next meal would come from, even though they were hungry and tired. Dicey had so much faith that she would eventually find a home for herself and her siblings and was so set on keeping the four of them together. She was so protective of her brothers and sisters. Growing up, I wanted to be as strong as she was.
Even though this is technically a children's/YA novel, it is a great read for adults, too.
June 27, 2018
“Nobody could be Home, really, until he was in his grave. Nobody could rest, really, until then.”
What a delectable and fun read!
Dicey and her sister and two brothers are left behind in the family car in a mall car park by their mother who doesn’t return.
“Remember how she’d go out and not come back for hours? I think she got lost outside those times, the way she was lost inside.”
They were supposedly on their way to stay with their great Aunt Cilla in Bridgeport. Dicey takes it upon herself to get her family to Bridgeport by any means necessary, and so begins an adventure like no other.
The children sleep rough, scrounge and work for money and walk more miles than they would have dreamed. They meet the greatest and worst of characters along their way and I was fully invested in them getting to their destination safe and sound.
The children are all highly realistic. They bicker and whine and moan during the journey, but their love and loyalty to one another is so powerful. I loved the Tillermans. From 13 year old Dicey, forced to grow up too quickly. Book smart James who knows nearly everything about everything. Quiet and reserved Maybeth, and finally stubborn little Sammy.
These kids made my heart swell, and I’m looking forward to continuing with their story.
“You couldn’t expect people to act as if they were in their right minds.”
What a delectable and fun read!
Dicey and her sister and two brothers are left behind in the family car in a mall car park by their mother who doesn’t return.
“Remember how she’d go out and not come back for hours? I think she got lost outside those times, the way she was lost inside.”
They were supposedly on their way to stay with their great Aunt Cilla in Bridgeport. Dicey takes it upon herself to get her family to Bridgeport by any means necessary, and so begins an adventure like no other.
The children sleep rough, scrounge and work for money and walk more miles than they would have dreamed. They meet the greatest and worst of characters along their way and I was fully invested in them getting to their destination safe and sound.
The children are all highly realistic. They bicker and whine and moan during the journey, but their love and loyalty to one another is so powerful. I loved the Tillermans. From 13 year old Dicey, forced to grow up too quickly. Book smart James who knows nearly everything about everything. Quiet and reserved Maybeth, and finally stubborn little Sammy.
These kids made my heart swell, and I’m looking forward to continuing with their story.
“You couldn’t expect people to act as if they were in their right minds.”
May 4, 2019
We spent such an enjoyable few days with these characters. Four siblings from a poor background have a single mum who is struggling and one day things just get too much.
Without spoiling the plot the rest of the book is about the children, largely on their own struggling to find a way to live and stay together. This book is long and we really felt we got to know these characters and their very individual personalities. We loved following their journey, being with them through their hardships, meeting mean people and good.
We loved the character of Dicey and Maybeth and so wanted things to work out for this family and find a way that they could stay together, how lucky for them they had the strong and resourceful Dicey to persevere through the hard times.
Some very realistic characters, these felt like real people to us. I appreciated how cousin Eunice was contrasted against the character of grandma, I liked the way that these characters personalities were revealed to us. We loved the characters Will and Karen from the circus and how wonderful that their performing animals were a trio of well loved terriers. The story keeps you guessing right up to the last few pages!
Without spoiling the plot the rest of the book is about the children, largely on their own struggling to find a way to live and stay together. This book is long and we really felt we got to know these characters and their very individual personalities. We loved following their journey, being with them through their hardships, meeting mean people and good.
We loved the character of Dicey and Maybeth and so wanted things to work out for this family and find a way that they could stay together, how lucky for them they had the strong and resourceful Dicey to persevere through the hard times.
Some very realistic characters, these felt like real people to us. I appreciated how cousin Eunice was contrasted against the character of grandma, I liked the way that these characters personalities were revealed to us. We loved the characters Will and Karen from the circus and how wonderful that their performing animals were a trio of well loved terriers. The story keeps you guessing right up to the last few pages!
September 29, 2019
I read this book in my early teen's and recently bought it for my daughter.
I loved this book when I was young! The book is about Dicey and her three younger siblings who were abandoned by their mother in a mall parking lot. Worried about being split up and sent to foster care they decide their only option is to go on foot to find their Great Aunt Cilla whom they've never met.
I found it well written with an easy to read gripping storyline. I could visualize all that was happening to these children as they walked cross-country after being abandoned by their mentally ill mother. It's not often a book stays with you for so many years. However, this book definitely stayed with me as an all time favorite.
I highly recommend this book. Even though this is technically a young adult novel, many adults will likely find it a great read too.
I loved this book when I was young! The book is about Dicey and her three younger siblings who were abandoned by their mother in a mall parking lot. Worried about being split up and sent to foster care they decide their only option is to go on foot to find their Great Aunt Cilla whom they've never met.
I found it well written with an easy to read gripping storyline. I could visualize all that was happening to these children as they walked cross-country after being abandoned by their mentally ill mother. It's not often a book stays with you for so many years. However, this book definitely stayed with me as an all time favorite.
I highly recommend this book. Even though this is technically a young adult novel, many adults will likely find it a great read too.
March 8, 2016
There are some characters in novels that stick with you all of your life.
Do you know what I mean?
We all remember Ramona Quimby - right?
People fall in love with Harry Potter and Frodo and Lucy Pevensie. Maybe you can't forget Oliver Twist or that one big guy in Of Mice and Men.
I remember a girl named Dicey as if we were next door neighbors or first cousins.
She and her siblings are the main characters in a book series by Cynthia Voight. The first novel is Homecoming and the storyline shocked me as a kid and stuck right in my gut somewhere and I've never forgotten the vibe and the heart of that novel - not even thirty years later. (I used to want to name my daughter Dicey. It didn't happen. But that thought was always there.)
Last week I finished rereading Homecoming (as a grown up!) because I wanted to consider it for our girls Book Club but remembered its content to be heavy and wanted to evaluate whether I thought the girls were ready for it just yet.
The story is a hard one, you guys.
Dicey and her three younger siblings live with their mom on the coast. Their dad left them years earlier. The novel opens with the four kids waiting in their blue station wagon in the parking lot of a mall. It's a hot summer day and their mom heads into the mall while the kids are instructed to listen to thirteen-year-old Dicey and stay put.
The kids wait. And wait. And Mom never comes out of the mall. The abandoned kids spend one night in the station wagon and then trek it out on their own.
Of course, this story is written before cell phones and the internet. So there's no texting to save them and they need to use an actual phone book.
Dicey is afraid to go to the police for fear of being separated from her siblings and the kids choose to band together no matter the cost. They have a destination in mind of the home of a grandmother they've never met who lives down the coast.
The novel moves along following Dicey's stoic efforts to feed her family and meet their physical needs, while wrestling with the fall out of her mother's abandonment and her fears of what their future holds. The pressure on a kid of this age is immense.
There's so much to like in this story. So much to worry about. So much to fear for Dicey and James and Maybeth and Sammy.
Homecoming is such a worthwhile read.
Good literature should give you a place for your own feelings to land. Good literature should make you think and it should make you feel and it should open your eyes to the thinking and the feeling of someone else too.
I think there's something very powerful about putting novels like this in the hands of girls like mine.
Books are safe places. Books are about other people and other people's lives. You can talk about other people and other people's lives while kind of sort of trying out feelings and thoughts of your own about your own life. But you say it's about Dicey and you can see how that works out in your mind and in your words. Safe. Talkable.
It's why Book Club started actually.
To talk about Big Things through safe characters in safe books with beginnings, middles and ends and a hard cover that you can close when you've had too much.
I think Homecoming is a perfect Book Club book actually.
And I still feel just as inspired by Dicey as a forty-two year old as I did when I met her as a twelve year old.
Do you know what I mean?
We all remember Ramona Quimby - right?
People fall in love with Harry Potter and Frodo and Lucy Pevensie. Maybe you can't forget Oliver Twist or that one big guy in Of Mice and Men.
I remember a girl named Dicey as if we were next door neighbors or first cousins.
She and her siblings are the main characters in a book series by Cynthia Voight. The first novel is Homecoming and the storyline shocked me as a kid and stuck right in my gut somewhere and I've never forgotten the vibe and the heart of that novel - not even thirty years later. (I used to want to name my daughter Dicey. It didn't happen. But that thought was always there.)
Last week I finished rereading Homecoming (as a grown up!) because I wanted to consider it for our girls Book Club but remembered its content to be heavy and wanted to evaluate whether I thought the girls were ready for it just yet.
The story is a hard one, you guys.
Dicey and her three younger siblings live with their mom on the coast. Their dad left them years earlier. The novel opens with the four kids waiting in their blue station wagon in the parking lot of a mall. It's a hot summer day and their mom heads into the mall while the kids are instructed to listen to thirteen-year-old Dicey and stay put.
The kids wait. And wait. And Mom never comes out of the mall. The abandoned kids spend one night in the station wagon and then trek it out on their own.
Of course, this story is written before cell phones and the internet. So there's no texting to save them and they need to use an actual phone book.
Dicey is afraid to go to the police for fear of being separated from her siblings and the kids choose to band together no matter the cost. They have a destination in mind of the home of a grandmother they've never met who lives down the coast.
The novel moves along following Dicey's stoic efforts to feed her family and meet their physical needs, while wrestling with the fall out of her mother's abandonment and her fears of what their future holds. The pressure on a kid of this age is immense.
There's so much to like in this story. So much to worry about. So much to fear for Dicey and James and Maybeth and Sammy.
Homecoming is such a worthwhile read.
Good literature should give you a place for your own feelings to land. Good literature should make you think and it should make you feel and it should open your eyes to the thinking and the feeling of someone else too.
I think there's something very powerful about putting novels like this in the hands of girls like mine.
Books are safe places. Books are about other people and other people's lives. You can talk about other people and other people's lives while kind of sort of trying out feelings and thoughts of your own about your own life. But you say it's about Dicey and you can see how that works out in your mind and in your words. Safe. Talkable.
It's why Book Club started actually.
To talk about Big Things through safe characters in safe books with beginnings, middles and ends and a hard cover that you can close when you've had too much.
I think Homecoming is a perfect Book Club book actually.
And I still feel just as inspired by Dicey as a forty-two year old as I did when I met her as a twelve year old.
September 11, 2023
This is an exciting and heartfelt story about a strong girl and her younger siblings who are “on their own” when they’re apparently abandoned by their mother. I’ve always loved tales of kids left on their own (see A Long Way To Go, etc.) and this is a particularly good book with a compelling main character.
October 30, 2007
This book grabbed me and wouldn't let go. Unstable single mom drives to the mall and has the kids stay in the car. The mall closes, and she is nowhere to be found. The kids know that if they go to the police, they will be split up into separate foster care. So, using every resource they possess, they head to the one relative they think might take them in, no matter that she is several states away.
What a desperate, gripping situation. Spare, elegant writing makes it incredibly powerful. This won a Newbery Honor, but I think it's just as good as Dicey's Song, which won the Medal.
What a desperate, gripping situation. Spare, elegant writing makes it incredibly powerful. This won a Newbery Honor, but I think it's just as good as Dicey's Song, which won the Medal.
August 10, 2024
What a great and adventurous read. Loved the writing style, it kept me locked on from the beginning. Could have happened for real and that makes that this story is great to read.
November 14, 2021
I could see why it's good such raving reviews however I wasn't able to fully connect with the story when I read it and it's been sitting and waiting for me to review it for a few days and I can't remember a lot from it. Might been the bad time to have read it as I was quite down in my mood when I read it. Maybe I'll pick it up back again in a later time but I think I'll continue on with the series if I can find the rest soon enough
November 15, 2021
There have been quite a few stories that contained bits and pieces of the kind of material to be found in Homecoming, but quite honestly I would have to contend that not one of them can compare to this book.
Cynthia Voigt has masterfully crafted a story that is SO totally complete and resonates in every way possible that I truly think that not even the world's greatest author could have improved upon this book. The author touches on so many themes in such surprising depth that a shorter book simply could not have held the overflow of pure wisdom and warmth and love and humor and fidelity to one's goals that fills up Homecoming, and spills out of the pages.
The saga of Dicey, James, Maybeth, and Sammy in Homecoming is one of the greatest that I have ever encountered in the ranks of literature, and this book is only the first of seven. These four protagonists start on a long sojourn that will never be forgotten by the reader who allows the story to enter his or her heart. I do not see how this book did not win the 1982 Newbery Medal, but it will continue to touch people and change lives, even for many years to come. This is a virtuoso performance by a master in her field. Bravissimo.
Cynthia Voigt has masterfully crafted a story that is SO totally complete and resonates in every way possible that I truly think that not even the world's greatest author could have improved upon this book. The author touches on so many themes in such surprising depth that a shorter book simply could not have held the overflow of pure wisdom and warmth and love and humor and fidelity to one's goals that fills up Homecoming, and spills out of the pages.
The saga of Dicey, James, Maybeth, and Sammy in Homecoming is one of the greatest that I have ever encountered in the ranks of literature, and this book is only the first of seven. These four protagonists start on a long sojourn that will never be forgotten by the reader who allows the story to enter his or her heart. I do not see how this book did not win the 1982 Newbery Medal, but it will continue to touch people and change lives, even for many years to come. This is a virtuoso performance by a master in her field. Bravissimo.
July 6, 2022
Homecoming. Published 1981
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This is one of my touchstone books. I remember loving it as a child, but it wasn't until I re-read it that I understood its true impact. As I read, I was overwhelmed with the most vivid memories. It was the summer of 1986 and I was 10 going on 11. I donned my favorite jean shorts and Keds and rode my bike into town to my local library. If I close my eyes I can smell that unique library smell- books mixed with crisp, cool air. I can picture the precise layout of the stacks. I can hear the sound of the due date stamp. I can see myself making a beeline right to the spot where I plucked it from the shelf. Sigh- the power of books to transport me into both a fictional world and my memory never ceases to amaze me.
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I wish I can remember why young me loved this book so much. Was it because I identified with Dicey, the oldest of four siblings, just like me? Or was it the coming-of-age story infused with adventure, hideaway escapes and travel that was prevalent in so many of my childhood favorites (Mandy, From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E Frankweiler and The Boxcar Children.)? I know that as a child some of the vocabulary, including the N and R word, probably didn't jump out at me like it did as an adult. I know that re-reading it during this unpredictable time was a hand to my heart a salve for my soul.
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⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
This is one of my touchstone books. I remember loving it as a child, but it wasn't until I re-read it that I understood its true impact. As I read, I was overwhelmed with the most vivid memories. It was the summer of 1986 and I was 10 going on 11. I donned my favorite jean shorts and Keds and rode my bike into town to my local library. If I close my eyes I can smell that unique library smell- books mixed with crisp, cool air. I can picture the precise layout of the stacks. I can hear the sound of the due date stamp. I can see myself making a beeline right to the spot where I plucked it from the shelf. Sigh- the power of books to transport me into both a fictional world and my memory never ceases to amaze me.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
I wish I can remember why young me loved this book so much. Was it because I identified with Dicey, the oldest of four siblings, just like me? Or was it the coming-of-age story infused with adventure, hideaway escapes and travel that was prevalent in so many of my childhood favorites (Mandy, From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E Frankweiler and The Boxcar Children.)? I know that as a child some of the vocabulary, including the N and R word, probably didn't jump out at me like it did as an adult. I know that re-reading it during this unpredictable time was a hand to my heart a salve for my soul.
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May 19, 2016
While I was able to read Homecoming from beginning to end with some interest, I did not find this book "addicting" like several good books I have read recently. Though the characters will stick with you; like Judy Bloom, The Cat in the Hat, and Winnie the Pooh; the book will not. Do you recall those movie lines or the names of characters in them, but don’t know where they’re from? That is like this book.
Homecoming is the story of four young children in search of a home where they will be accepted, and be able to stay together after being abandoned by their ill mother. From the start, I felt as though the story dragged on. While detail is necessary to create and develop a story and its characters, in this case there was too much detail. The same story could have been told in about a hundred fewer pages and had a more profound effect. Furthermore, I found that some of the events in the story just didn't fit or added to the unnecessary overabundance of details. There was no reason for Cynthia Voigt to make Dicey force her siblings to leave the bus station for Annapolis rather than wait for the bus to Crisfield. Yes, they could get caught by the authorities or Eunice, but not if they had hidden behind some bushes far-ish away from the bus station. They had hidden away from trouble before and it had always worked. The numerous references to Maybeth's possible retardation in the eyes of others, or the details about undergarments (washing and purchase of), the numerous references about fishing and clamming, and the monotonous descriptions of the cities through which the children passed were all extremely repetitive. Rather than the continuous repetition on these smaller challenges throughout the story which the reader comes to understand clearly after the first or second reference, more emphasis and detail could have and should have been placed on the mother's condition and antecedents leading to the Tillerman's circumstances. This was not explained in enough detail.
Though this book has its cons which detracted my attention throughout the read, the book does have some pros. The characters throughout the story are interesting and well-developed. In the story, the reader is introduced to an expansive array of people from all walks of life---some kind and helpful, some strong and caring, some horrifying, and a few, well, just quirky. The Tillermans themselves are unique individuals. As a result of the author's detailed description, I was able to see each character. I saw what they looked like and learned who they were. Dicey, the eldest, is a slim and average-heighted girl with short brown hair who had not yet matured and resembled a boy. I could imagine James, an average boy with glasses. I also clearly saw Maybeth, a small blonde girl with bright blue eyes that shone like aquamarine gemstones that have just been polished. And Sammy, a tiny, chubby, blonde boy with a bowl haircut and blue eyes, a mini cherub of a boy. Beyond physical appearance, the book clearly describes the personality of each sibling. Each sibling has his/her own way of coping with things and each is definitely different from the other. Their differences are what help them survive as a unit throughout their journey and each challenge they face. Along with the Tillermans, many other characters infiltrate the Tillerman's lives in one way or another. Windy and Stew, two college kids that help the Tillermans toward the start of their journey, are genuine individuals that are sure to capture a reader's interest. Will, a character with a heart gold, and some of the other people in his circus were well-developed and are a happy addition to the Tillermans experience. Cousin Eunice and Mr. Rudyard, well, these two you must read the story to learn more about their time in the lives of the Tillermans. All of the characters were very well-developed. Character development was a highlight of this book.
What I enjoyed most about the book Homecoming was the youngest of the Tillerman family, Sammy Tillerman. I liked him from the time he said his first word in the book. He is a character with spunk and tenacity. Although the youngest, his personality and antics throughout the story were definitely larger than life. He is tough and did whatever he could to help his family and provide for them when the others couldn't find a way. For example, with only fifty-one cents, Sammy was able to obtain enough food to feed his family for dinner that night and breakfast the next day from a lady in a bakery. That boy had talent! I liked him from the beginning to the end, every second I read the book, every minute he spent talking, creating mischief, and showing his stubborn side. He was definitely one of the few things that kept my interest.
While this book is readable, it is not one I would recommend for enjoyment or pleasure reading. I would give this book a 4/10 (2/5) star rating.
Homecoming is the story of four young children in search of a home where they will be accepted, and be able to stay together after being abandoned by their ill mother. From the start, I felt as though the story dragged on. While detail is necessary to create and develop a story and its characters, in this case there was too much detail. The same story could have been told in about a hundred fewer pages and had a more profound effect. Furthermore, I found that some of the events in the story just didn't fit or added to the unnecessary overabundance of details. There was no reason for Cynthia Voigt to make Dicey force her siblings to leave the bus station for Annapolis rather than wait for the bus to Crisfield. Yes, they could get caught by the authorities or Eunice, but not if they had hidden behind some bushes far-ish away from the bus station. They had hidden away from trouble before and it had always worked. The numerous references to Maybeth's possible retardation in the eyes of others, or the details about undergarments (washing and purchase of), the numerous references about fishing and clamming, and the monotonous descriptions of the cities through which the children passed were all extremely repetitive. Rather than the continuous repetition on these smaller challenges throughout the story which the reader comes to understand clearly after the first or second reference, more emphasis and detail could have and should have been placed on the mother's condition and antecedents leading to the Tillerman's circumstances. This was not explained in enough detail.
Though this book has its cons which detracted my attention throughout the read, the book does have some pros. The characters throughout the story are interesting and well-developed. In the story, the reader is introduced to an expansive array of people from all walks of life---some kind and helpful, some strong and caring, some horrifying, and a few, well, just quirky. The Tillermans themselves are unique individuals. As a result of the author's detailed description, I was able to see each character. I saw what they looked like and learned who they were. Dicey, the eldest, is a slim and average-heighted girl with short brown hair who had not yet matured and resembled a boy. I could imagine James, an average boy with glasses. I also clearly saw Maybeth, a small blonde girl with bright blue eyes that shone like aquamarine gemstones that have just been polished. And Sammy, a tiny, chubby, blonde boy with a bowl haircut and blue eyes, a mini cherub of a boy. Beyond physical appearance, the book clearly describes the personality of each sibling. Each sibling has his/her own way of coping with things and each is definitely different from the other. Their differences are what help them survive as a unit throughout their journey and each challenge they face. Along with the Tillermans, many other characters infiltrate the Tillerman's lives in one way or another. Windy and Stew, two college kids that help the Tillermans toward the start of their journey, are genuine individuals that are sure to capture a reader's interest. Will, a character with a heart gold, and some of the other people in his circus were well-developed and are a happy addition to the Tillermans experience. Cousin Eunice and Mr. Rudyard, well, these two you must read the story to learn more about their time in the lives of the Tillermans. All of the characters were very well-developed. Character development was a highlight of this book.
What I enjoyed most about the book Homecoming was the youngest of the Tillerman family, Sammy Tillerman. I liked him from the time he said his first word in the book. He is a character with spunk and tenacity. Although the youngest, his personality and antics throughout the story were definitely larger than life. He is tough and did whatever he could to help his family and provide for them when the others couldn't find a way. For example, with only fifty-one cents, Sammy was able to obtain enough food to feed his family for dinner that night and breakfast the next day from a lady in a bakery. That boy had talent! I liked him from the beginning to the end, every second I read the book, every minute he spent talking, creating mischief, and showing his stubborn side. He was definitely one of the few things that kept my interest.
While this book is readable, it is not one I would recommend for enjoyment or pleasure reading. I would give this book a 4/10 (2/5) star rating.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 11, 2010
Not enough superlatives for this one.
I avidly read the Tillerman cycle (seven books) several years ago, and since then, have constantly recommended them to others. My sister finally took me up on that, and two volumes in, agrees that Voigt and her characters and stories are worth the praise. However, she listened to 'Homecoming' and 'Dicey's Song,' and raved about Barbara Caruso's narration.
So now, thanks to my sister, I have had the treat of revisiting a good friend, as well as seeing (hearing) that friend from a new perspective. Caruso does do a stellar job, and 'Homecoming,' if anything, was even more powerful and engrossing the second time around.
My sister noted that the basic premise of 'Homecoming' is quite similar to that of 'The Boxcar Children.' It's a 'Boxcar Children' with profound depth and character development, a novel whose categorization as YA is far too limiting. It is a book about and for children, but just as much it is a book for adults, and to a lesser degree, about adults. Voigt's writing is lyrical and evocative, and her characters are unique and true.
The chief character is Dicey Tillerman, a thirteen-year-old whose distraught, depressed mother abandons Dicey, her sister, and two brothers in the parking lot of a shopping mall one summer afternoon in the 1980s. The Tillermans had been escaping hard times on Cape Cod by driving to the home of an aunt the children had never met in Bridgeport, Connecticut.
Dicey is a self-assured girl with great common sense, extraordinary intelligence, stubborn will power, and untapped reserves. She turns her family's bleak circumstances around in a journey as compelling as the 'Odyssey'--a journey full of unlikely adventures, good fortune and bad, kind strangers, evil strangers, strangers between those extremes, relatives who try to care but really don't, and relatives who don't seem to care but really do.
Those strangers and relatives, and especially Dicey's younger siblings, James, Maybeth, and Sammy, are deep, full characters who have stayed with me as I wander through my own interior journeys, reflecting on this marvelous book. At the end of 'Homecoming,' the Tillermans end up on the eastern shore of Maryland, but they will keep travelling through your mind, and they are likely to persuade you to read more of the Tillerman cycle.
Highly recommended for sixth graders and up.
I avidly read the Tillerman cycle (seven books) several years ago, and since then, have constantly recommended them to others. My sister finally took me up on that, and two volumes in, agrees that Voigt and her characters and stories are worth the praise. However, she listened to 'Homecoming' and 'Dicey's Song,' and raved about Barbara Caruso's narration.
So now, thanks to my sister, I have had the treat of revisiting a good friend, as well as seeing (hearing) that friend from a new perspective. Caruso does do a stellar job, and 'Homecoming,' if anything, was even more powerful and engrossing the second time around.
My sister noted that the basic premise of 'Homecoming' is quite similar to that of 'The Boxcar Children.' It's a 'Boxcar Children' with profound depth and character development, a novel whose categorization as YA is far too limiting. It is a book about and for children, but just as much it is a book for adults, and to a lesser degree, about adults. Voigt's writing is lyrical and evocative, and her characters are unique and true.
The chief character is Dicey Tillerman, a thirteen-year-old whose distraught, depressed mother abandons Dicey, her sister, and two brothers in the parking lot of a shopping mall one summer afternoon in the 1980s. The Tillermans had been escaping hard times on Cape Cod by driving to the home of an aunt the children had never met in Bridgeport, Connecticut.
Dicey is a self-assured girl with great common sense, extraordinary intelligence, stubborn will power, and untapped reserves. She turns her family's bleak circumstances around in a journey as compelling as the 'Odyssey'--a journey full of unlikely adventures, good fortune and bad, kind strangers, evil strangers, strangers between those extremes, relatives who try to care but really don't, and relatives who don't seem to care but really do.
Those strangers and relatives, and especially Dicey's younger siblings, James, Maybeth, and Sammy, are deep, full characters who have stayed with me as I wander through my own interior journeys, reflecting on this marvelous book. At the end of 'Homecoming,' the Tillermans end up on the eastern shore of Maryland, but they will keep travelling through your mind, and they are likely to persuade you to read more of the Tillerman cycle.
Highly recommended for sixth graders and up.
December 4, 2013
“Homecoming” by Cynthia Voigt is an adventurous, realistic, and moving story. This is one of my favorite book because it teaches the reader many lessons, on how to, be grateful for what you have. It starts off with four kids named Dicey, James, Maybeth, and Sammy Tillerman who are in search for a home after their mother abandoned them. Dicey is a courageous, smart 13 year old girl. James is a smart, intelligent 10 year old boy. Maybeth is a pretty and shy 9 year old girl, who is smarter than she may seem. Last, but not least, Sammy the brave and stubborn 6 year old boy. Their only other family member that they know of is their Aunt Cilla. Dicey being the oldest child, decides they are going to walk to Bridgeport to find their Aunt Cilla. Voigt describes the different places using figurative language and many details for the reader to paint a picture of the city the Tillermans travel by. If the author didn’t described the scenery so much, the book would’ve been much shorter. The plot is still phenomenal and put me through many emotions.
When the Tillermans reach Connecticut, they have no money and are ready to give up, until they meet Wendi and Stewart outside their college. Stewart is able to drive the kids to Bridgeport. When the four kids arrive, they realize the house isn’t what they were expecting. To top it off, Aunt Cilla isn’t even there. Her daughter, Cousin Eunice is living there. Cousin Eunice, the self absorbed woman, decides to take the four kids in to live with her. James goes to school and becomes the teacher’s favorite because of his knowledge. Maybeth becomes Cousin Eunice’s doll, but everyone thinks Maybeth has a learning disability. Sammy is getting into fights with the kids in his school. Dicey becomes the house maid. Although, the kids now have a place to stay, it still doesn’t feel like home for them, so they decide to find their long-lost grandmother.
Dicey was able to raise money while she was at Bridgeport so the kids are able to take the bus near their grandmother’s house. The Tillermans run out of money, so they go find work at Mr. Rudyard’s house. Soon, the kids realize Mr. Rudyard is an evil guy who wasn’t going to pay them for their work, so the four kids decide to run away. They finally lose Mr. Rudyard, but still are watching their backs. The next day, the kids see Mr. Rudyard’s car following them. They run as fast as they can and see a circus where they can hide. Will, the guy who runs the circus, saves the Tillermans lives and stands up to Mr. Rudyard. Will drives the kids to their grandma’s house.
Dicey goes in and meets her grandma for the first time. The kids realize that their grandma isn’t as “crazy” as everyone says she is. In the end, they kids found their home, their grandma’s house. I gave this book four out of five stars because the story is moving and I felt emotionally attached to the Tillermans, despite their being fictional characters. The only problem with this book, was the extensive descriptions, which felt unnecessary at times. Besides that, the book is truly amazing.
When the Tillermans reach Connecticut, they have no money and are ready to give up, until they meet Wendi and Stewart outside their college. Stewart is able to drive the kids to Bridgeport. When the four kids arrive, they realize the house isn’t what they were expecting. To top it off, Aunt Cilla isn’t even there. Her daughter, Cousin Eunice is living there. Cousin Eunice, the self absorbed woman, decides to take the four kids in to live with her. James goes to school and becomes the teacher’s favorite because of his knowledge. Maybeth becomes Cousin Eunice’s doll, but everyone thinks Maybeth has a learning disability. Sammy is getting into fights with the kids in his school. Dicey becomes the house maid. Although, the kids now have a place to stay, it still doesn’t feel like home for them, so they decide to find their long-lost grandmother.
Dicey was able to raise money while she was at Bridgeport so the kids are able to take the bus near their grandmother’s house. The Tillermans run out of money, so they go find work at Mr. Rudyard’s house. Soon, the kids realize Mr. Rudyard is an evil guy who wasn’t going to pay them for their work, so the four kids decide to run away. They finally lose Mr. Rudyard, but still are watching their backs. The next day, the kids see Mr. Rudyard’s car following them. They run as fast as they can and see a circus where they can hide. Will, the guy who runs the circus, saves the Tillermans lives and stands up to Mr. Rudyard. Will drives the kids to their grandma’s house.
Dicey goes in and meets her grandma for the first time. The kids realize that their grandma isn’t as “crazy” as everyone says she is. In the end, they kids found their home, their grandma’s house. I gave this book four out of five stars because the story is moving and I felt emotionally attached to the Tillermans, despite their being fictional characters. The only problem with this book, was the extensive descriptions, which felt unnecessary at times. Besides that, the book is truly amazing.
January 31, 2016
This is a hard read. Here's a book that expounds on a topic most books resolve in the first two chapters, and it's painful and heartbreakingly realistic. Here's a protagonist that's always in motion, always steeled for disappointment and hardship. Here's every difficult mile and every frustrating delay of a long journey - with no safe haven at the end. (Though that depends on your definition of safety, I suppose. It wasn't enough by Dicey's standards.) And then there's yet another journey, and yet another uncertain destination.
There's such a wealth of detail, such a wonderful exploration of people you meet along the road, and the extent of their kindness: where they give and where they stop giving. And then, too, are the people who don't give at all.
This is probably the most difficult beginning to a children's series I've ever read. I wish there were more like it.
There's such a wealth of detail, such a wonderful exploration of people you meet along the road, and the extent of their kindness: where they give and where they stop giving. And then, too, are the people who don't give at all.
This is probably the most difficult beginning to a children's series I've ever read. I wish there were more like it.
October 5, 2020
I had forgotten so much of this book and it was a delight to revisit it with the girls.
Read
August 26, 2019I spent most of my 7th grade year talking about how boring this book was and how much I disliked it. I reread it for the SSR Podcast (the premise being rereading books from your childhood and see how they hold up/don't hold up) and I'm pleased to say my 7th grade self was on the money. This was torturously boring.
And then there's the bizarre scene where Dicey and her brother talk about girls not wearing bras and having jiggly boobs? Or the time she talks about her other brother's penis bobbing around as he ran. Those were so strange.
A book about kids abandoned by a mentally unstable mother and trying to find family should have been more interesting, but this was a whole lot of tell and don't show. Minus, y'know, the jiggly bits.
And then there's the bizarre scene where Dicey and her brother talk about girls not wearing bras and having jiggly boobs? Or the time she talks about her other brother's penis bobbing around as he ran. Those were so strange.
A book about kids abandoned by a mentally unstable mother and trying to find family should have been more interesting, but this was a whole lot of tell and don't show. Minus, y'know, the jiggly bits.
January 22, 2014
The four Tillerman children – the youngest six, the oldest (Dicey, the protagonist) thirteen – are left in a mall parking lot by their mentally ill mother. In charge and uncertain, Dicey leads her family across Connecticut to where a great-aunt lives. But after walking, hitching and working their way there, the four children find that the great-aunt is dead, and they still haven’t found a home.
This is a powerful (and long, at 400 pages) young adult book, the first in a five-book series called the Tillerman cycle (the immediate sequel won the Newbery). While I raised an eyebrow at some of the events – I doubt four children could walk and camp alone with just the clothes on their backs across a state without being noticed by police or some inquisitive soul, for instance, and Dicey’s almost inhuman strength of will is hard to credit – it’s still a powerful and harrowing tale. The Tillermans’ plight wends its way to a truly moving conclusion; Voigt really knows how make her characters sympathetic.
This is a powerful (and long, at 400 pages) young adult book, the first in a five-book series called the Tillerman cycle (the immediate sequel won the Newbery). While I raised an eyebrow at some of the events – I doubt four children could walk and camp alone with just the clothes on their backs across a state without being noticed by police or some inquisitive soul, for instance, and Dicey’s almost inhuman strength of will is hard to credit – it’s still a powerful and harrowing tale. The Tillermans’ plight wends its way to a truly moving conclusion; Voigt really knows how make her characters sympathetic.
February 2, 2008
I'd read Dicey's Song when I was a kid, and I never realized it actually was a sequel to Homecoming.
Dicey, James, Maybeth, and Sam Tillerman are abruptly left on their own when their mother abandons them and the car in a mall parking lot. When it becomes clear that their mother isn't coming back, thirteen-year-old Dicey conceives a daring and dangerous plan: since they know that they were on their way to live with their Aunt Cilla in Bridgeport, they will continue the journey on foot. It's a thrilling, dangerous journey, and when they reach Bridgeport, things are not what they expected.
I sometimes found my credulity stretched just a bit, in that the adults that the children meet seem curiously unwilling to question who the kids are and where they're going, but maybe that's more realistic than I would like to think.
Dicey, James, Maybeth, and Sam Tillerman are abruptly left on their own when their mother abandons them and the car in a mall parking lot. When it becomes clear that their mother isn't coming back, thirteen-year-old Dicey conceives a daring and dangerous plan: since they know that they were on their way to live with their Aunt Cilla in Bridgeport, they will continue the journey on foot. It's a thrilling, dangerous journey, and when they reach Bridgeport, things are not what they expected.
I sometimes found my credulity stretched just a bit, in that the adults that the children meet seem curiously unwilling to question who the kids are and where they're going, but maybe that's more realistic than I would like to think.
December 14, 2017
This book took me quite a while to read, but it wasn’t because it was a bad story at all; for some reason, I was just content to read at a slower pace than normal. I felt like the book did a good job of portraying what kids might actually do if they were in the situation of the Tillermans. It was interesting to see how they dealt with basic necessities, like food, money, and shelter. I enjoyed getting to know all four kids as the story progressed. I don’t know if I’ll read the whole series, but I do plan to continue with the next book.
April 22, 2013
I HATED this book!
February 9, 2011
As a child, this was my all time favorite book!
May 27, 2024
In the early pandemic times, when I had that "new pandemic energy," I started reading the first books of The Babysitter's Club series on Facebook live, adding in my own color commentary. It was a hit, I mean TENS of people tuned in (heh). Like a lot of new quirky pandemic hobbies (I'm looking at you, sourdough starter) it soon lost it's luster and I only made it like 2 and a half books in, and I stowed the books on my book shelf in an appropriate section, right next to my Cynthia Voigt collection. I remember really loving Voigt and thought a revisit could be fun but hesitated because I have trouble allowing myself to read Young Adult books. I'm sure this isn't uncommon, but as an adult I have a hang-up where I feel like I should be reading adult books (not as much of a hang-up as when I try to read romance, but that's another review) but I definitely feel a stigma. But if I have learned anything during the pandemic it's that I should care less about what I "should" be doing and instead focus on doing things that bring joy, so I finally gave myself permission to revisit this series and I'm amped about it.
This book is the first in the "Tillerman cycle" the seven books about the Tillerman family, two of which were awarded the Newbery award. I remembered only the broadest strokes about this story, so jumped in with mostly fresh eyes. Dicey, James, Maybeth and Sammy are traveling with their momma from their home in Massachusetts to visit their great Aunt Cilla in Connecticut, who they have never met. When Momma abandons them in a shopping mall parking lot they have no plan and no where to turn, but are determined to stay together. Dicey, the oldest at 13, decides that they should travel on to Aunt Cilla's where momma could be waiting. Armed with a basically only their wits and a few bucks, these four kids leave the safety of the car to venture into the unknown, together.
That's a heck of a start, and I can see why I liked these books. Voigt's writing style is plain and straightforward: these are real kids are having to deal with real life hard circumstances. Though written in the 1980s I see a connection between this book and Koningsburg's 1967 classic From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler which I also recently revisited. Both authors write children that are believable and having to deal with the often unkind realities of their lives, and of the real world. I've got the next book "Dicey's Song" in the queue and am excited to re-remember how things turn out for the Tillerman's.
It was interesting to read this book as an adult, especially considering my own kiddo just turned 12. It serves another uncomfortable reminder that he's not a kiddo anymore, and though I won't be abandoning him in a parking lot, I can't always be there to give him the answers, and he's going to have to sometimes find his own way.
This book is the first in the "Tillerman cycle" the seven books about the Tillerman family, two of which were awarded the Newbery award. I remembered only the broadest strokes about this story, so jumped in with mostly fresh eyes. Dicey, James, Maybeth and Sammy are traveling with their momma from their home in Massachusetts to visit their great Aunt Cilla in Connecticut, who they have never met. When Momma abandons them in a shopping mall parking lot they have no plan and no where to turn, but are determined to stay together. Dicey, the oldest at 13, decides that they should travel on to Aunt Cilla's where momma could be waiting. Armed with a basically only their wits and a few bucks, these four kids leave the safety of the car to venture into the unknown, together.
That's a heck of a start, and I can see why I liked these books. Voigt's writing style is plain and straightforward: these are real kids are having to deal with real life hard circumstances. Though written in the 1980s I see a connection between this book and Koningsburg's 1967 classic From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler which I also recently revisited. Both authors write children that are believable and having to deal with the often unkind realities of their lives, and of the real world. I've got the next book "Dicey's Song" in the queue and am excited to re-remember how things turn out for the Tillerman's.
It was interesting to read this book as an adult, especially considering my own kiddo just turned 12. It serves another uncomfortable reminder that he's not a kiddo anymore, and though I won't be abandoning him in a parking lot, I can't always be there to give him the answers, and he's going to have to sometimes find his own way.
February 17, 2012
The book Homecoming has its ups and down with my attention and curiosity but overall my opinion of the book is a mix of “I liked it” and “It’s boring”. Also my opinion of how Cynthia Voigt uses details and description in the book is a mix also, because sometimes it is needed, but sometimes its just there to string out the book. But generally I really liked the book.
At the beginning of the book, the book was exciting because when do you hear about four children getting abandoned by their mother, as the book progressed into the first few chapters it kept my attention, but when I started to read ahead into the middle of the book it lost my attention, because I started to think that their journey had a pointless goal. But as they started to meet people along their journey, the story started to get just a little more interesting, and reassured me that they might meet their goal of getting to Aunt Cilla’s house safe and sound.
I like how Cynthia Voigt developed the characters very well and that I loved how that I could just imagine Dicey and any other character standing there and reading the book to me. Also many might say that the details are what make the book hard to read, I agree at some points, but also sometimes they are needed so I can imagine the setting the author is trying to show me.
A good twist in the book is when Dicey, Sammy, James, and Maybeth are introduced to Will. I honestly did think that Dicey and her siblings would eventually stay with Will and his circus and live out their days as circus people, but that would cut the book a little short, so that didn’t happen and they went on the journey to find there grandmother.
There grandmother truly made the book worth its while because it felt like that is where the book actually started its real story. Where the Tillermans had came and finally found their home, but now they had to fight to stay in it.
I would defiantly recommend this to a person that is looking for a literacy rich book.
July 13, 2020
This was my second time listening to this and it was every bit as good as I remembered.
February 12, 2021
This has always been one of my favorite books read as a teenager. I am glad to have gotten the opportunity to read it again!
December 30, 2025
“It’s still true,” James said.
I’ve been wanting to re-read Homecoming for a long time. This was one of my most beloved novels as a preteen; I probably read it five times back then but hadn’t revisited it as an adult. It’s the story of the Tillerman siblings – Dicey, James, Maybeth, and Sammy – who are abandoned by their mother in a mall parking lot and must make their way to their aunt’s house on their own.
Homecoming was all that I remembered, and more. Dicey was one of the characters I most admired when I was in late-elementary and middle school – for her strength, her resilience, and her determination to keep her family together no matter what. This determination, combined with the siblings’ bond and loyalty to each other, anchors a story full of adventure and fraught with hardships.
There’s a lot of emotional richness and subtext here, which I’m not sure I appreciated when I was younger. Cynthia Voigt really digs into the hearts of these characters; she conveys their emotions so authentically, and each of the Tillerman siblings is so well-developed and sympathetic. Voigt also explores the fractured dysfunction of the larger Tillerman family in ways that likely went over my head as a younger reader, but really resonated with me as an adult. Her writing is at once unsentimental and moving, and so richly descriptive and evocative.
I’m so glad I revisited this beloved story.
October 16, 2022
Reading this in my youth would have made a bigger impact. The last 51 minutes, however, were worth the wait.
February 20, 2012
Homecoming by Cynthia Voigt is a book about four children (Dicey, Sammy, Maybeth, and James) looking for the right home after their mother abandons them in a parking lot.
For me this was an ok book, it isn’t one of my favorites but I did like some parts of it. This book had its good and bad, for example I liked how the author described scenes, the figurative language, and the characters she made. I enjoyed reading the part with Mr. Rudyard because his actions and words surely grabbed my attention. Another thing I liked was how realistic it was, having four children providing themselves with the things they need. But, this book sure did have its downs.
I disliked how it was really long because of so much detail she would put in describing something that wasn’t vital to the story. I also didn’t like Cousin Eunice because she expected a lot from Dicey like cleaning, cooking, and making other errands she should be doing. Or how she didn’t want Sammy because of the way he was acting. One last thing that I didn’t like was how depressing this story was. I would’ve liked to have been able to read a more cheerful book, but reading that a child can’t eat or lost their parents made me sad.
Overall, I would recommend this book who prefers a realistic genre or to someone who enjoys reading a long and well detailed book. I certainly would only read this once. This book made me want to just put it away and take a 15 minute nap, but at times I could not put it down because it made me wonder whether or not this new place would be their home or not. Homecoming by Cynthia Voigt certainly was a well written book, but even a good book has it flaws at one point.
For me this was an ok book, it isn’t one of my favorites but I did like some parts of it. This book had its good and bad, for example I liked how the author described scenes, the figurative language, and the characters she made. I enjoyed reading the part with Mr. Rudyard because his actions and words surely grabbed my attention. Another thing I liked was how realistic it was, having four children providing themselves with the things they need. But, this book sure did have its downs.
I disliked how it was really long because of so much detail she would put in describing something that wasn’t vital to the story. I also didn’t like Cousin Eunice because she expected a lot from Dicey like cleaning, cooking, and making other errands she should be doing. Or how she didn’t want Sammy because of the way he was acting. One last thing that I didn’t like was how depressing this story was. I would’ve liked to have been able to read a more cheerful book, but reading that a child can’t eat or lost their parents made me sad.
Overall, I would recommend this book who prefers a realistic genre or to someone who enjoys reading a long and well detailed book. I certainly would only read this once. This book made me want to just put it away and take a 15 minute nap, but at times I could not put it down because it made me wonder whether or not this new place would be their home or not. Homecoming by Cynthia Voigt certainly was a well written book, but even a good book has it flaws at one point.
January 6, 2018
My friend Megan has been singing praises to Cynthia Voight's Tillerman Cycle for as long as I've known her. When she pointed out that Homecoming was part of the fantastic children's book sale on Audible (seriously, I bought 10 books for $30), I decided it was time to finally read it.
The four Tillerman children are abandoned in a mall parking lot. When their mother doesn't return, they worry that they will be split up if they go to the police, so they set out to walk all the way to their great-aunt's house, several towns away.
This book has a lot of walking and being hungry and scraping by. In other words, it definitely qualifies as Wasteland Wandering, and, as I typically struggle with Wasteland Wandering, at times, I felt myself starting to get bogged down. (Those kids must have been so sunburned.) But the thing that saved the day, every time, is the bond between the children. Also, a good portion of the book is set in Maryland and having that geographical connection made the book richer.
In the end, I really loved all the characters, and I definitely want to continue with the series. I have Dicey's Song all queued up.
The four Tillerman children are abandoned in a mall parking lot. When their mother doesn't return, they worry that they will be split up if they go to the police, so they set out to walk all the way to their great-aunt's house, several towns away.
This book has a lot of walking and being hungry and scraping by. In other words, it definitely qualifies as Wasteland Wandering, and, as I typically struggle with Wasteland Wandering, at times, I felt myself starting to get bogged down. (Those kids must have been so sunburned.) But the thing that saved the day, every time, is the bond between the children. Also, a good portion of the book is set in Maryland and having that geographical connection made the book richer.
In the end, I really loved all the characters, and I definitely want to continue with the series. I have Dicey's Song all queued up.
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