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Three Good Things
Leni has lived in so many different places in the last few years that she’s not surprised when her mom wakes her in the middle of the night and tells her to pack up her things. The reason for this move? Her mom tells her they have won the lottery, and they have to go underground. Leni is still not surprised when they end up in a filthy motel. But when Leni makes a new friend and tries to explain their lifestyle, she begins to understand just how messed up her life has become.
- GenresYoung Adult
144 pages, Paperback
First published November 3, 2015
1 person is currently reading
38 people want to read
About the author
Lois Peterson
15 books25 followersAfter writing for adults for more than 20 years, I turned to writing for younger readers in 2007. My first children's book, MEETING MISS 405 was published by Orca Book Publishers in Fall, 2008, and subsequently won top place in the BC Choclate Lily Children's Choice Award.
My subsequent seven books for readers aged six to 14 have been nominated for awards and included on prestigious lists of recommended reading.
My how-to book '101 - and more - Writing Exercises to Get You Started & Keep You Going' is used by writing teachers, students, and writers.
My first nonfiction book SHELTER; HOMELESSNESS IN OUR COMMUNITY will be published by Orca Book Publishers on Oct 12, 2021.
www.loispetersonwriter.ca
My subsequent seven books for readers aged six to 14 have been nominated for awards and included on prestigious lists of recommended reading.
My how-to book '101 - and more - Writing Exercises to Get You Started & Keep You Going' is used by writing teachers, students, and writers.
My first nonfiction book SHELTER; HOMELESSNESS IN OUR COMMUNITY will be published by Orca Book Publishers on Oct 12, 2021.
www.loispetersonwriter.ca
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
November 17, 2015
This is the best Orca pub I've read, and it's even an ARC. 2.75 stars.
The story is believable (if sort of heart-hurting). The writing style is consistent with Orca, the content less vapid than other titles I have read; the issue at heart is one worth addressing, the characters are realistic, the dialogue is good, and the plot (although a simple one) moves logically and at a good pace. Because of the length of the book and the target audience, details are scant, and things like character development are lacking, but these omissions don't detract over much from the overall effect of the book.
Three Good Things is a bit gritty; Leni and her mother live "on the run" ..from nothing. They are homeless and impoverished, living on gas station coffee and fast food, staying in seedy motels or worse apartments, because of Leni's mother's (Grace) illness. Grace has a psychological disorder that seems similar to schizophrenia, sans multiple personalities -- she has delusions and snaps between her imaginings and reality without any apparent triggers. She gets worse when she forgets to take her medication, but of course she's not one hundred percent even with the pills.
Leni is only in her mid-teens, but it falls to her to care for her ill mother; although he lives near their area of wandering, Leni's maternal grandfather offers only his money and concern to the two vagrant women, but doesn't offer to open his home to them (the reasons behind this become clear at the end of the story).
Leni puts up with the constant moving -- no home, no clean clothes, no proper food, no schooling; she tries to learn what she can from encyclopedias and the internet, but that only goes so far -- and the crazy, shuffling through life and picking up after her mother. A large component of the story is Leni's worry that she might have the same mental issues as Grace; the disorder is hereditary, after all. She sees insanity in little things she does, even if they're not really crazy behaviors.
Shortly after the start of the book, Leni meets a boy, Jake, at the local library, and the two of them hit it off. Jake invites her over to meet his animals, and something about his care for his garage menagerie triggers a response from Leni; she ends up telling him all about her life, and he helps her to realize that she can't be expected to live in that manner. She is not yet an adult and shouldn't be expected to function as one. She needs help, needs to go to school, needs a home.
After her mother has an accident in the park, Leni confronts her grandfather and finds out that her grandmother had the same issues as Grace, and the struggle of caring for his wife blinded him, to an extent, to his daughter's issues until after she had grown and moved away.
He takes Leni and Grace in, and the book ends on a note of hope. Leni's mother isn't going to be healed miraculously or instantaneously, but she might have a good life, with the proper care, and now, so will Leni and her grandfather.
The story is believable (if sort of heart-hurting). The writing style is consistent with Orca, the content less vapid than other titles I have read; the issue at heart is one worth addressing, the characters are realistic, the dialogue is good, and the plot (although a simple one) moves logically and at a good pace. Because of the length of the book and the target audience, details are scant, and things like character development are lacking, but these omissions don't detract over much from the overall effect of the book.
Three Good Things is a bit gritty; Leni and her mother live "on the run" ..from nothing. They are homeless and impoverished, living on gas station coffee and fast food, staying in seedy motels or worse apartments, because of Leni's mother's (Grace) illness. Grace has a psychological disorder that seems similar to schizophrenia, sans multiple personalities -- she has delusions and snaps between her imaginings and reality without any apparent triggers. She gets worse when she forgets to take her medication, but of course she's not one hundred percent even with the pills.
Leni is only in her mid-teens, but it falls to her to care for her ill mother; although he lives near their area of wandering, Leni's maternal grandfather offers only his money and concern to the two vagrant women, but doesn't offer to open his home to them (the reasons behind this become clear at the end of the story).
Leni puts up with the constant moving -- no home, no clean clothes, no proper food, no schooling; she tries to learn what she can from encyclopedias and the internet, but that only goes so far -- and the crazy, shuffling through life and picking up after her mother. A large component of the story is Leni's worry that she might have the same mental issues as Grace; the disorder is hereditary, after all. She sees insanity in little things she does, even if they're not really crazy behaviors.
Shortly after the start of the book, Leni meets a boy, Jake, at the local library, and the two of them hit it off. Jake invites her over to meet his animals, and something about his care for his garage menagerie triggers a response from Leni; she ends up telling him all about her life, and he helps her to realize that she can't be expected to live in that manner. She is not yet an adult and shouldn't be expected to function as one. She needs help, needs to go to school, needs a home.
After her mother has an accident in the park, Leni confronts her grandfather and finds out that her grandmother had the same issues as Grace, and the struggle of caring for his wife blinded him, to an extent, to his daughter's issues until after she had grown and moved away.
He takes Leni and Grace in, and the book ends on a note of hope. Leni's mother isn't going to be healed miraculously or instantaneously, but she might have a good life, with the proper care, and now, so will Leni and her grandfather.
November 7, 2016
I liked this story a lot, and I think a lot of kids would benefit from reading it. Since it is written for a lower reading level, it would be a great pick for a teen who is struggling with reading. Sadly, I think a lot of kids are like the girl in this book, and it might be nice to know they aren't alone.
February 9, 2017
It was short and sweet.
December 11, 2024
Finished the book in two days It was short and sweet. I found it in the section of the library that said "finish your reading challenge for the year" it was with other short books. It still tackled a serious topic of psychosis and parenting. The main charachter Grace ends with hope that her mother even though she had previously been insteady and has suffered, will be taken care of by Graces Grandpa.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 7, 2025
I didn’t know it was meant for a lower reading level I thought it was just short but there was basically no character development and the plot moved so fast while at the same time…nothing really happened?
September 9, 2020
Really liked this story! Wonderful and relatable!
May 10, 2021
Loved how short and quick this book is. I didn't really need to focus or feel that I am spending too much time reading.
April 1, 2025
This was a good story but it wrapped up a little quick. I do know it’s a book for lower readers, so that may be part of the reason.
December 3, 2016
Still very simplistic because it's an orca current, but one of the better ones that I have read! Would definitely recommend to students.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews