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Longing for Normal
Eliot Winston, a grieving son, must convince his new step-mother – now Griff Winston’s widow – to adopt him. Meanwhile, Alli just wants to meet her foster-mother's new baby, a baby that she considers her sister. But life is hard.
When she married Griff Winston, Marj Winston hadn’t bargained on being the single mother of a twelve-year-old boy; when Griff dies suddenly, she's left with a big decision: should she adopt Eliot or not? Alli Flynn, a foster child new to the school, convinces Eliot that he must fight to keep his family intact and the best way to do that is to help Mrs. Winston with the Bread Project, a fund raising project for the school. With his whole future at stake, Eliot tries hard to please Marj. When Alli's foster-mother got pregnant, the family decided they didn't want a foster-child any longer. Alli understands; she just wants to meet the baby she had considered her new sister. She just wants to see her and then she'll leave them alone. As but as the deadlines near for the Bread Project, for Marj to sign Eliot's adoption papers, and the birth of Alli's foster-sister draws nearer, Eliot and Alli find it harder and harder to hang on to hope.
In the tradition of Dicey’s Song by Cynthia Voigt, this story follows two kids who search for a family and a home.
When she married Griff Winston, Marj Winston hadn’t bargained on being the single mother of a twelve-year-old boy; when Griff dies suddenly, she's left with a big decision: should she adopt Eliot or not? Alli Flynn, a foster child new to the school, convinces Eliot that he must fight to keep his family intact and the best way to do that is to help Mrs. Winston with the Bread Project, a fund raising project for the school. With his whole future at stake, Eliot tries hard to please Marj. When Alli's foster-mother got pregnant, the family decided they didn't want a foster-child any longer. Alli understands; she just wants to meet the baby she had considered her new sister. She just wants to see her and then she'll leave them alone. As but as the deadlines near for the Bread Project, for Marj to sign Eliot's adoption papers, and the birth of Alli's foster-sister draws nearer, Eliot and Alli find it harder and harder to hang on to hope.
In the tradition of Dicey’s Song by Cynthia Voigt, this story follows two kids who search for a family and a home.
220 pages, Hardcover
First published November 1, 2014
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About the author
Darcy Pattison
128 books117 followersDARCY PATTISON (www.darcypattison.com) is published in ten languages.
Children’s book author Darcy Pattison writes award-winning fiction and non-fiction books for children. Her works have received starred PW, Kirkus, and BCCB reviews. Awards include the Irma Black Honor award, five NSTA Outstanding Science Trade Books, Eureka! Nonfiction Honor book, Junior Library Guild selections, and NCTE Notable Children’s Book in Language Arts. She’s the 2007 recipient of the Arkansas Governor’s Arts Award for Individual Artist for her work in children’s literature.
Children’s book author Darcy Pattison writes award-winning fiction and non-fiction books for children. Her works have received starred PW, Kirkus, and BCCB reviews. Awards include the Irma Black Honor award, five NSTA Outstanding Science Trade Books, Eureka! Nonfiction Honor book, Junior Library Guild selections, and NCTE Notable Children’s Book in Language Arts. She’s the 2007 recipient of the Arkansas Governor’s Arts Award for Individual Artist for her work in children’s literature.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
October 23, 2019
A well-baked Bread Project
Darcy Pattison is an Arkansas children's book author and writing teacher. In 1999, she created the Novel Revision Retreat, which she now teaches across the nation. As a children's book author her books have been translated into ten languages, and have been recognized for excellence by starred reviews, Book of the Year awards, state award lists and more. She is the 2007 recipient of the Arkansas Governor's Arts Award for Individual Artist for her work in children's literature. For her science moments she has offered four National Science Teachers Association Science Trade Books.
In this Middle Grades novel Darcy steps away from her very successful children’s entertaining learning stories and ups the audience level to address issues more poignant to that age level. This novel also reflects Darcy’s intimate association with baking bread, something she has done for family events. The familiarity of her kitchen skills is abundantly clear as she unwinds this novel.
The plot is well paced in its ‘rising’ and is shared by Darcy’s yeasty synopsis: ‘The whole school is chattering about The Bread Project, a fund-raiser meant to honor Griff Winston, the school nurse, who died that summer from a brain tumor. For Eliot, Griff’s adopted son, the Bread Project intrudes on his grief. He just wants to be left alone to get through sixth grade. Don’t make him talk about his Dad or relive how much Dad had loved to make sourdough bread. No one will listen to Eliot. Not Mrs. Lopez, the PTA President. Not his friends. And especially not his new stepmother, Marj. But she had to listen! Because Marj still must sign his official adoption papers. Somehow, they must figure out how to be a family despite Griff’s absence. In the midst of a variety of breads—pan dolce, ciabatti, ekmek, naan, pretzels, poori, pita, English muffins, raisin bread, cinnamon rolls, Kaiser rolls, potato rolls, and much more—Eliot must learn to fight for his family.’
At once entertaining and instructive, LONGING FOR NORMAL carries significant messages that are worthy of consideration. Recommended not only for ages 8 – 12 years, but also for caring parents and all adults.
Darcy Pattison is an Arkansas children's book author and writing teacher. In 1999, she created the Novel Revision Retreat, which she now teaches across the nation. As a children's book author her books have been translated into ten languages, and have been recognized for excellence by starred reviews, Book of the Year awards, state award lists and more. She is the 2007 recipient of the Arkansas Governor's Arts Award for Individual Artist for her work in children's literature. For her science moments she has offered four National Science Teachers Association Science Trade Books.
In this Middle Grades novel Darcy steps away from her very successful children’s entertaining learning stories and ups the audience level to address issues more poignant to that age level. This novel also reflects Darcy’s intimate association with baking bread, something she has done for family events. The familiarity of her kitchen skills is abundantly clear as she unwinds this novel.
The plot is well paced in its ‘rising’ and is shared by Darcy’s yeasty synopsis: ‘The whole school is chattering about The Bread Project, a fund-raiser meant to honor Griff Winston, the school nurse, who died that summer from a brain tumor. For Eliot, Griff’s adopted son, the Bread Project intrudes on his grief. He just wants to be left alone to get through sixth grade. Don’t make him talk about his Dad or relive how much Dad had loved to make sourdough bread. No one will listen to Eliot. Not Mrs. Lopez, the PTA President. Not his friends. And especially not his new stepmother, Marj. But she had to listen! Because Marj still must sign his official adoption papers. Somehow, they must figure out how to be a family despite Griff’s absence. In the midst of a variety of breads—pan dolce, ciabatti, ekmek, naan, pretzels, poori, pita, English muffins, raisin bread, cinnamon rolls, Kaiser rolls, potato rolls, and much more—Eliot must learn to fight for his family.’
At once entertaining and instructive, LONGING FOR NORMAL carries significant messages that are worthy of consideration. Recommended not only for ages 8 – 12 years, but also for caring parents and all adults.
April 18, 2020
a few errors that may confuse reader for a short amount of time. otherwise good story line
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews