Wednesday, February 5, 2014

Hold Fast

I recently read Hold Fast, a middle grade novel by Blue Balliett, and was very impressed by it.

The book begins with the disappearance of someone. The reader doesn't know who he is. Then there are several short, confusing passages that made me curious. What was happening?

The plot is about a girl named Early whose father disappears so her family becomes homeless. How can they survive? It gives a moving portrayal of what life is like for homeless people and helps the reader become more sympathetic and understanding of their plight.

But it also has an exciting and dramatic plot as Early tries to solve the mystery of her father's whereabouts.

This is a wonderful book and I think all middle grade kids should read it.


1 comment:

penelope anne cole said...

Hi Jan, I just attended a celebration of the second year of our Faith in Action, Rotating Homeless Shelter. It's been going for many years, then stopped and started up again. This dinner had videos, testimonials and memorials. It was nice to see a group of churches coming together to host the shelter each month. These men are getting the help and support they need to get their lives back on track.