#10: "Gone from Home" by Angela Johnson (2001, Laurel Leaf)

[sweet-adelheid.livejournal.com]

This is the only Angela Johnson book my library has. The two public libraries don't have any. And Johnson gets recc'd a lot.

It's a collection of twelve short stories. A slim book, and a relatively quick read, even though I read most of the stories twice over to revel in the richness of the language. These are stories about home and homelessness, biological family and non-biological family. And hope.

I love "Sweetness". I love "Starr" and "Barns" and "Home". "By the time you read this" was magnificent (and funny), because it wasn't what I expected. "Sweetness" and "Home" were sad and wonderful, Sweetness and Crystal and Reyetta and Ruby worming their way into my heart.

And the line "Five in the morning looks like the moon, like nowhere I've ever been," from "Barns".

It's brilliant, and I wish I could read more by Johnson, I really do.

Comments

[zeborah]

When you return it to your library, tell them how much you loved it and how often her books are recommended, and ask if they're able to order any more by her.

If they can't for whatever reason, ask about interlibrary loans - they might be able to borrow them for you from another library in the county/state/country.

[sweet-adelheid.livejournal.com]

By 'my' library I meant the school library I work in. Which has an incredibly limited budget: what we've got is going towards Australian and Kiwi authors this year (and I'd want us to get Wale Rider before any more Johnson.)

[rachelmanija.livejournal.com]

You could still request from the public library.