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The Distance To Home
Last summer, Quinnen was the star pitcher of her baseball team, the Panthers. They’re headed for the championship, and her loudest supporter at every game was her best friend and older sister, Haley.
This summer, everything is different. Haley’s death, at the end of last summer, has left Quinnen and her parents reeling. Without Haley in the stands, Quinnen doesn’t want to play baseball. It seems like nothing can fill the Haley-sized hole in her world. The one glimmer of happiness comes from the Bandits, the local minor-league baseball team. For the first time, Quinnen and her family are hosting one of the players for the season. Without Haley, Quinnen’s not sure it will be any fun, but soon she befriends a few players. With their help, can she make peace with the past and return to the pitcher’s mound?
This summer, everything is different. Haley’s death, at the end of last summer, has left Quinnen and her parents reeling. Without Haley in the stands, Quinnen doesn’t want to play baseball. It seems like nothing can fill the Haley-sized hole in her world. The one glimmer of happiness comes from the Bandits, the local minor-league baseball team. For the first time, Quinnen and her family are hosting one of the players for the season. Without Haley, Quinnen’s not sure it will be any fun, but soon she befriends a few players. With their help, can she make peace with the past and return to the pitcher’s mound?
240 pages, Hardcover
First published June 28, 2016
53 people are currently reading
2308 people want to read
About the author
Jenn Bishop
5 books240 followersJenn Bishop is also the author of four other novels for young readers, including the Parents’ Choice Gold Award winner Things You Can’t Say. Her books have been named Junior Library Guild selections and Bank Street College of Education best books and have been finalists for state book awards. She currently calls Cincinnati, Ohio, home. What team do you think she roots for? Visit her online at jennbishop.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 221 reviews
May 22, 2017
Beautiful, quiet story of loss and healing. I loved Quinnen's voice and journey in this book. In particular, I found the dynamic between this tween girl and her teenage older sister, Haley, really fascinating and well done. When Haley becomes interested in romance and gets a boyfriend, Quinnen doesn't know how to handle it. I loved seeing her point of view, trying to understand that world of intense feeling and new infatuations as a 10/11 year-old. Such a sweet story!
dnf
December 28, 2016Last summer, Quinnen was the star pitcher of her baseball team, the Panthers. They’re headed for the championship, and her loudest supporter at every game was her best friend and older sister, Haley.
This summer, everything is different. Haley’s death, at the end of last summer, has left Quinnen and her parents reeling.
What I liked:
• Quinnen’s alternating points of view between this summer and last summer.
• Book clubs: I had a nice little walk down memory lane when they featured Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret— particularly when I realized that I read it around Quinnen’s age.
• Deals with grief in an accessible way that is both honest and gentle.
• This book made me think about my own life situations.
What I didn’t like:
• The characters felt really flat and one dimensional— most of them had no depth or personality. There was also the lack of character development.
• The writing wasn’t holding my attention.
• Not a lot went on during this storyline— Quinnen went to baseball games, ate dinner with her family and complained about Brandon Williams. But other than that nothing happened that kept me flipping page after page.
• Quinnen and her sister, Hayley, were close last summer— until we get introduced to Zack (aka Hayley’s emo boyfriend).
It’s at this point Hayley goes completely out of character and starts acting, to quote Quinnen, like one of the mean girls on an MTV show.
And it’s also at this point that I gave up.
I was really hoping to like it (mainly because of the cover), but I was let down.
ARC kindly provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
*Note: I'm an Amazon Affiliate. If you're interested in buying The Distance To Home, just click on the image below to go through my link. I'll make a small commission!*
This review and more can be found on my blog.
This summer, everything is different. Haley’s death, at the end of last summer, has left Quinnen and her parents reeling.
What I liked:
• Quinnen’s alternating points of view between this summer and last summer.
• Book clubs: I had a nice little walk down memory lane when they featured Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret— particularly when I realized that I read it around Quinnen’s age.
• Deals with grief in an accessible way that is both honest and gentle.
• This book made me think about my own life situations.
What I didn’t like:
• The characters felt really flat and one dimensional— most of them had no depth or personality. There was also the lack of character development.
• The writing wasn’t holding my attention.
• Not a lot went on during this storyline— Quinnen went to baseball games, ate dinner with her family and complained about Brandon Williams. But other than that nothing happened that kept me flipping page after page.
• Quinnen and her sister, Hayley, were close last summer— until we get introduced to Zack (aka Hayley’s emo boyfriend).
It’s at this point Hayley goes completely out of character and starts acting, to quote Quinnen, like one of the mean girls on an MTV show.
And it’s also at this point that I gave up.
I was really hoping to like it (mainly because of the cover), but I was let down.
ARC kindly provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
*Note: I'm an Amazon Affiliate. If you're interested in buying The Distance To Home, just click on the image below to go through my link. I'll make a small commission!*
This review and more can be found on my blog.
December 8, 2015
You know those unbelievably special books where you can't stop thinking about the story and characters long after you've finished reading? This is one of those books. THE DISTANCE TO HOME is a heartfelt novel that explores sibling relationships, guilt, grief, and so much more. (Oh, and baseball! You can't forget about baseball.) Jenn Bishop does such an amazing job alternating between the past and the present. The transitions are as flawless as the characters are memorable. I've really never read anything like this. I was thrilled to receive an advanced copy, and was sad to have to send it along. I can't wait to get a copy of my very own this June.
Powerful, original, and unforgettable. This is a must-read!
Powerful, original, and unforgettable. This is a must-read!
November 24, 2015
I was fortunate to read an advance reviewer copy of The Distance to Home by Jenn Bishop. I really enjoyed this bittersweet story of family, friendship, grief, and baseball. I adored the heroine--spunky, impulsive, passionate Quinnen. The author's use of both past and present narratives is well balanced and effectively gives us a sense of Quinn's world both before and after her sister's death without having to dwell too much on the days around the tragedy. The book is sad, but not a "sad book." Instead, it shows the other side of a tragedy and how Quinn starts to find herself again after her world has been forever rocked. I also liked how Quinn had a support network around her--loving parents, a close friend, a welcoming team, even soon-to-be famous baseball players. All of this is set against a marvelous baseball backdrop. I'd love to put this book in the hands of young sports fans who also like contemporary fiction with feeling.
November 14, 2015
I received an advance reader's copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The Distance to Home is a great middle grade book with a lot of heart and a lot of baseball! I had a ball rooting for Quinnen, a lovably flawed and very believable heroine, through two pivotal summers when she makes more than her share of mistakes, learns to move on after a tragedy, and finds her way back to her team.
Jenn Bishop has created a family and a cast of supporting characters that tugged at my heartstrings from beginning to end. Not to mention a minor league baseball setting that's so authentic, I could practically taste the ice cream and hot dogs.
Highly recommended for middle grade readers, especially baseball fans. The Distance to Home is a home run!
The Distance to Home is a great middle grade book with a lot of heart and a lot of baseball! I had a ball rooting for Quinnen, a lovably flawed and very believable heroine, through two pivotal summers when she makes more than her share of mistakes, learns to move on after a tragedy, and finds her way back to her team.
Jenn Bishop has created a family and a cast of supporting characters that tugged at my heartstrings from beginning to end. Not to mention a minor league baseball setting that's so authentic, I could practically taste the ice cream and hot dogs.
Highly recommended for middle grade readers, especially baseball fans. The Distance to Home is a home run!
October 29, 2015
I was lucky to read an advanced copy of The Distance to Home by Jenn Bishop.
It's a beautiful story of love and loss, told in chapters that alternate between last summer and this summer. It was sometimes difficult to witness Quinnen's pain as she worked toward some kind of acceptance, but it was also impossible to look away. Quinnen fit herself into my heart and I wanted so much for her to re-connect with her parents and her team.
Once I started reading, I couldn't put this book down.
It's a beautiful story of love and loss, told in chapters that alternate between last summer and this summer. It was sometimes difficult to witness Quinnen's pain as she worked toward some kind of acceptance, but it was also impossible to look away. Quinnen fit herself into my heart and I wanted so much for her to re-connect with her parents and her team.
Once I started reading, I couldn't put this book down.
April 4, 2016
THE DISTANCE TO HOME is the beautifully written, bittersweet, deeply resonant story of a girl, Quinnen, who has lost her sister Haley. Quinnen seems to have also lost her relationship with everything else that mattered most in her life: Her mom. Her dad. Baseball.
The author draws the reader immediately and completely into Quinnen's world. The characters are sensitively written and deeply realized, to the point where they feel, not like fiction on a page, but like real, living friends. Friends you care about.
I was on the edge of my seat with this book, reading as fast as I could to discover how everything turned out.
What exactly happened to Quinnen's sister Haley? And how does the young man at the baseball concession stand, Zack, fit into the picture? Why is Quinnen so angry at him? And what made Quinnen give up baseball, when she lived and breathed it before? What will happen to the baseball "home stay" visitors that Quinnen's parents decided to host on her behalf?
So many questions. And they are all answered in just the right way.
The pacing in this novel is perfect. Everything is revealed in a natural developmental arc, exactly when it should be, and not before. There is not a single stereotypical character, either; each one is layered and nuanced, and their believable, complex humanity surprises us right along with Quinnen. With humor and insight, the author brings it all home.
Can you tell how much I loved this book? I hope so.
I'm giving this one five very bright stars.
The author draws the reader immediately and completely into Quinnen's world. The characters are sensitively written and deeply realized, to the point where they feel, not like fiction on a page, but like real, living friends. Friends you care about.
I was on the edge of my seat with this book, reading as fast as I could to discover how everything turned out.
What exactly happened to Quinnen's sister Haley? And how does the young man at the baseball concession stand, Zack, fit into the picture? Why is Quinnen so angry at him? And what made Quinnen give up baseball, when she lived and breathed it before? What will happen to the baseball "home stay" visitors that Quinnen's parents decided to host on her behalf?
So many questions. And they are all answered in just the right way.
The pacing in this novel is perfect. Everything is revealed in a natural developmental arc, exactly when it should be, and not before. There is not a single stereotypical character, either; each one is layered and nuanced, and their believable, complex humanity surprises us right along with Quinnen. With humor and insight, the author brings it all home.
Can you tell how much I loved this book? I hope so.
I'm giving this one five very bright stars.
February 8, 2016
This was such a wonderful, heartfelt read. It's the story of two summers: the summer before and the summer after the main character's sister died. Quinnen needs to find her way back: to baseball and a new normal. Quinnen is SUCH a delightful character - completely and totally a middle grader. She's headstrong, big-hearted and she loves her sister and baseball. But things are changing and Quinnen is not so happy about that. Her relationship with her sister is changing, causing a rift between them and then the unthinkable happens.
I really loved this story. I loved the baseball! We have a minor league team where I live and I love going to the games. I could practically taste the hot dogs and smell the popcorn. I loved Quinnen, her family and her friends. I loved learning about the homestays (something I was not familiar with before) and I loved seeing Quinnen's growth through the story.
I highly recommend this book! It would be a wonderful addition to your classroom or home library. I can't wait to get a copy of my very own.
I really loved this story. I loved the baseball! We have a minor league team where I live and I love going to the games. I could practically taste the hot dogs and smell the popcorn. I loved Quinnen, her family and her friends. I loved learning about the homestays (something I was not familiar with before) and I loved seeing Quinnen's growth through the story.
I highly recommend this book! It would be a wonderful addition to your classroom or home library. I can't wait to get a copy of my very own.
January 24, 2016
I absolutely loved this book — it's got all sorts of great moments, ranging from hilarious to heart-breaking. Told in chapters that alternate between what's happening this summer and what happened last summer, it's a story of a baseball playing girl who lost her beloved older sister and is trying to figure out how to live and breathe again. (And maybe, just maybe, get back on the pitcher's mound)
There's a lot to admire in this story, which manages to capture the family's grief without ever becoming maudlin. I loved how Quinnan's grief morphed — sometimes she was angry, sometimes she was sad, sometimes she was just lost. I also really, really liked how well-developed and well-drawn all the characters were, especially the adult characters, complete with imperfections and their own issues.
Bishop has managed to create a book that deals with a very difficult topic but will both engage kids and feel true to adults.
(I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review)
There's a lot to admire in this story, which manages to capture the family's grief without ever becoming maudlin. I loved how Quinnan's grief morphed — sometimes she was angry, sometimes she was sad, sometimes she was just lost. I also really, really liked how well-developed and well-drawn all the characters were, especially the adult characters, complete with imperfections and their own issues.
Bishop has managed to create a book that deals with a very difficult topic but will both engage kids and feel true to adults.
(I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review)
November 30, 2015
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
So this book. Wow. I laughed. I cried. I didn't want it to end. Quinnen and her family are taking in a player from the local minor league baseball team. Her parents hope it will remind Quinnen of her love for the game . . . Because Quinnen gave it all up when her sister died last summer.
The chapters alternate between this summer and last, and boy does the author show you exactly what Quinnen lost. I ached for Quinnen, knowing what was coming, but not knowing how or when. But this book isn't just about loss. It's about learning to live again when that doesn't seem possible. It's about hope. It's about letting go of guilt.
Such a wonderful story! I highly recommend it.
So this book. Wow. I laughed. I cried. I didn't want it to end. Quinnen and her family are taking in a player from the local minor league baseball team. Her parents hope it will remind Quinnen of her love for the game . . . Because Quinnen gave it all up when her sister died last summer.
The chapters alternate between this summer and last, and boy does the author show you exactly what Quinnen lost. I ached for Quinnen, knowing what was coming, but not knowing how or when. But this book isn't just about loss. It's about learning to live again when that doesn't seem possible. It's about hope. It's about letting go of guilt.
Such a wonderful story! I highly recommend it.
Read
December 7, 2016My nine year old daughter recently read this book. I selected this for her in my ongoing attempt for her to enjoy things related to baseball. She enjoyed the friendship between the two girls in the novel as well as the scenes on the baseball diamond. Appropriate for children in grades 4-8.
March 2, 2016
What a wonderful addition to the middle grade canon! THE DISTANCE TO HOME is a wonderfully balanced story or family and friendship, as a young girl comes to terms with her sister's loss over one baseball-filled summer. Now, I am decidedly NOT a baseball fan, and I was absolutely glued to Quinnen's story. Her voice is so true, and her wit so sharp, I fell in love by the third page and never looked back. For those of you looking for middle grade reads that touch on the serious parts of life but don't wallow there, THE DISTANCE TO HOME will keep you laughing and smiling all the way. This book is a home run!
January 4, 2016
Wow. There was so much I loved about this truly beautiful story.
This book was filled with so much heart and emotion. Quinnen and her cast of characters easily won me over and I absolutely loved getting to know them. Every one of them brought something important to the story. Baseball plays a big role and is woven in so well. I think my favorite thing of all was the way the story was told. Bishop seamlessly alternates between Last Summer and This Summer, showing us Quinnen's life as it was and as it is now with a tragic event both splitting the two timelines apart and bringing them together.
It made me cry, it made me laugh, and it also managed to fill me with hope. Really looking forward to this one getting out in the world.
I received an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
This book was filled with so much heart and emotion. Quinnen and her cast of characters easily won me over and I absolutely loved getting to know them. Every one of them brought something important to the story. Baseball plays a big role and is woven in so well. I think my favorite thing of all was the way the story was told. Bishop seamlessly alternates between Last Summer and This Summer, showing us Quinnen's life as it was and as it is now with a tragic event both splitting the two timelines apart and bringing them together.
It made me cry, it made me laugh, and it also managed to fill me with hope. Really looking forward to this one getting out in the world.
I received an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
April 21, 2016
Such a well written, sweet story! Totally believable characters. A total non-jock, this touching story almost made me want to play baseball. Perfect for me - a great glossary at the end for the baseball impaired.
May 1, 2016
I love any books about sports, and The Distance to Home by Jenn Bishop hit a home run in my book! It was even set in Illinois and mentions the Cubs! What a great story about baseball, family, friendship, and forgiveness! I can't wait for you to meet Quinnen, Casey, Hailey, Hector, and the others when this comes out in June!
March 1, 2016
A beautiful examination of grief and the ways it ties us to the past. Quinnen's voice was compelling and realistic, and the past/present alternating chapters were the perfect way to tell this story. I love sister stories, and this one did not disappoint. Jenn Bishop gives us a fully realized relationship, and the aftermath of a terrible loss. The story has heart and humor, and a lot of baseball for good measure. Highly recommended!
June 18, 2016
The thing about loss is it's unfixable. You don't heal so much as you live on, fighting through the grief and hoping there's a black and blue happiness on the other side.
THE DISTANCE TO HOME shows a particularly complicated path to healing for a lovable character who's trying as hard as she can to make sense of a family that used to be four and is now only three. Bishop tells this amazing, heartfelt, and funny story alongside something I'd never heard of prior to reading -- minor league baseball homestays, where a ML player who does not make enough money to pay their own way is taken in by a local family.
I really grew to love the characters and town alike. This is a realistic and heartfelt story that keeps your heart beating until the very end.
THE DISTANCE TO HOME shows a particularly complicated path to healing for a lovable character who's trying as hard as she can to make sense of a family that used to be four and is now only three. Bishop tells this amazing, heartfelt, and funny story alongside something I'd never heard of prior to reading -- minor league baseball homestays, where a ML player who does not make enough money to pay their own way is taken in by a local family.
I really grew to love the characters and town alike. This is a realistic and heartfelt story that keeps your heart beating until the very end.
May 24, 2016
This bittersweet narrative bounces between Quinnen's current summer and the summer prior, her sister's last summer before she passes away.
Quinnen abandons baseball when she loses her sister Haley. She spends the next summer learning that it's okay to have hope and try again. By learning to forgive and embrace those around her she finally begins to make her own way through the grieving process.
Must have for grades 5 and up. It would be a great piece for addressing character growth and theme.
Quinnen abandons baseball when she loses her sister Haley. She spends the next summer learning that it's okay to have hope and try again. By learning to forgive and embrace those around her she finally begins to make her own way through the grieving process.
Must have for grades 5 and up. It would be a great piece for addressing character growth and theme.
February 22, 2016
Got a review ARC of this book but my 10 year old son nabbed it right off my TBR stack! Will update to include my review at a later date. Until then, this is what the book's target audience had to say...
"It's one of the better books I've read, actually. There were lots of missing pieces at the beginning that clicked in like a big puzzle by the end. I really liked how the chapters switched back and forth between this summer and last summer. It had sad parts, but happy parts from last summer too, and even some really angry parts. My favorite part was..."
He then described the ending, and I explained what spoilers are. ;) It's also worth noting that he finished it at recess at school because he was so close to the end he couldn't stand leaving the last few chapters.
"It's one of the better books I've read, actually. There were lots of missing pieces at the beginning that clicked in like a big puzzle by the end. I really liked how the chapters switched back and forth between this summer and last summer. It had sad parts, but happy parts from last summer too, and even some really angry parts. My favorite part was..."
He then described the ending, and I explained what spoilers are. ;) It's also worth noting that he finished it at recess at school because he was so close to the end he couldn't stand leaving the last few chapters.
April 19, 2016
This book appealed to me right away with the baseball element but the story was so much more.
Quinnen lost her sister Haley last summer and is spending most of the current summer trying to find a new normal. Things are different with her parents; they don't talk like they used to, she's not playing baseball this year, and the Farm team-the Bandits is in town this summer along with a hot shot for a new housemate. This book bounces between last summer and this summer which introduces an interesting element to the series of events in the story.
I was hesitant about whether or not it would be ok for my fifth graders but I do think they would enjoy it.
This is a beautiful story of a love of baseball, strength, family, and finding your way after the loss of a loved one.
Quinnen lost her sister Haley last summer and is spending most of the current summer trying to find a new normal. Things are different with her parents; they don't talk like they used to, she's not playing baseball this year, and the Farm team-the Bandits is in town this summer along with a hot shot for a new housemate. This book bounces between last summer and this summer which introduces an interesting element to the series of events in the story.
I was hesitant about whether or not it would be ok for my fifth graders but I do think they would enjoy it.
This is a beautiful story of a love of baseball, strength, family, and finding your way after the loss of a loved one.
April 25, 2016
A wonderfully crafted story that parallels two summers. One might think that could make a story choppy. However, Jenn does an amazing job of making those transitions seamless. If you are looking for a story about recovering from loss, friendship, family, and second chances...I would highly recommend this story.
October 17, 2016
Mini review:
I received this E-ARC via Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
To be honest I didn't want to read this book. At this age in my life I avoid a lot of middle contemporaries because I find them to be stupid. I requested this on a whim and was surprised by how much I liked it. I think my favourite part was the portrayal of Haley. In most of the flashbacks she was horrible. But I found it realistic because despite the fact that she is dead Quinnen remembers the good and bad. And Haley loved her sister.
Highly recommend!
I received this E-ARC via Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
To be honest I didn't want to read this book. At this age in my life I avoid a lot of middle contemporaries because I find them to be stupid. I requested this on a whim and was surprised by how much I liked it. I think my favourite part was the portrayal of Haley. In most of the flashbacks she was horrible. But I found it realistic because despite the fact that she is dead Quinnen remembers the good and bad. And Haley loved her sister.
Highly recommend!
May 31, 2016
Loved this sweet book about loss and forgiveness and healing. Taking place the summer after her older sister's death, we meet Quinnen in the throws of her pain. It's baseball season again and her sister won't be there sitting in her rainbow chair cheering her on. It's heartbreaking, but there is also much hope and joy in the book. Quinnen is a character the reader will want to follow as she makes her way back to what she loves most, baseball.
A must-read for middle grade readers, baseball-lovers or not.
A must-read for middle grade readers, baseball-lovers or not.
April 26, 2017
A book that touched my heart. Jenn Bishop crafts a beautiful story about heartbreak while keeping the story true to a middle grader's perspective.
March 24, 2016
I absolutely LOVED every page of this book. Full review to come!
July 26, 2024
This book is surprisingly beautiful.
November 25, 2015
Most excellent, Jenn. Thank you for the ARC. I eagerly await you next book. So proud of you and your talent--and getting a chance to know you.
Read
September 22, 2016A beautiful book that balances grief with humor, hope, love, and lots of baseball! THE DISTANCE TO HOME takes place over the course of two summers; chapters alternate between this summer, when Quinnen is grieving her sister Haley's death as she gets to know minor league baseball players who are staying with her family and other local families, and last summer, when Haley was still alive and Quinnen was still playing on her own baseball team. I love that Quinnen is a girl who plays on a baseball team of mostly boys, and I think readers will, too--especially after Mo'ne Davis captured so much attention and excitement when she pitched in the Little League World Series in 2014. I also love the multifaceted relationships that Quinnen develops with Hector and Brandon, two minor league pitchers, and the whole idea of setting a book in a town with a single-A baseball team that's such a big part of the summer experience. This is largely a grief story, and Quinnen's grieving process is handled carefully and respectfully, but Jenn Bishop manages to weave in plenty of fun and hopeful content, too, which means that this book definitely isn't only a sad story. I have a lot of students who loved Ali Benjamin's THE THING ABOUT JELLYFISH, and I look forward to giving them this book once it comes out. I think they'll appreciate the passionate main character, the blend of friendship and family dynamics, and the alternating past and present timelines.
March 20, 2016
When I read the first chapter of this book, I thought, "Oh man, not another story about sibling death." (I lost my sister in December '14), and I had just read several sad stories. I wasn't sure my heart could handle it, but I decided to move forward. I am glad I did. This is a story full of hope and forgiveness and moving on. Jenn Bishop brings us back and forth between the last summer and the current summer, and the story culminates in a bright ending that reminds us the most freeing thing we can do is forgive and love and move forward.
May 24, 2016
This is a beautiful story. A perfect combination of baseball and life, and finding the strength and courage to pick up and move on when your world has been shattered.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 221 reviews