Carry Me Home - by Janet Fox (Paperback)

About the Book

Twelve-year-old Lulu, burdened with caring for her sister, Serena, since their father disappeared, must learn to trust her new friends and community when secrets and lies catch up with her.

Book Synopsis

"A poignant and powerful reminder that homelessness is not hopelessness." --Kirby Larson, author of Newbery Honor book Hattie Big Sky

Two sisters struggle to keep their father's disappearance a secret in this tender middle grade novel that's perfect for fans of Katherine Applegate and Lynda Mullaly Hunt.

Twelve-year-old Lulu and her younger sister, Serena, have a secret. As Daddy always says, "it's best if we keep it to ourselves," and so they have. But hiding your past is one thing. Hiding where you live--and that your Daddy has gone missing--is harder.

At first Lulu isn't worried. Daddy has gone away once before and he came back. But as the days add up, with no sign of Daddy, Lulu struggles to take care of the responsibilities they used to manage as a family.

Lulu knows that all it takes is one slip-up for their secret to come spilling out, for Lulu and Serena to be separated, and for the good things that have been happening in school to be lost.

But family is all around us, and Lulu must learn to trust her new friends and community to save those she loves and to finally find her true home.

Review Quotes

"A poignant and powerful reminder that homelessness is not hopelessness." --Kirby Larson, author of Newbery Honor book HATTIE BIG SKY

"A beautiful, haunting story that sucks you in and doesn't let go. It's a poignant reminder of the strength kids can possess when they realize they're the only one holding their world together. I devoured it, breathlessly, and it carried my heart away with it."--Ann Braden, author of THE BENEFITS OF BEING AN OCTOPUS

"A story about falling through the cracks and finding the light inside that darkness. Carry Me Home is absorbing, moving, and deeply truthful."--Martha Brockenbrough, author of THE GAME OF LOVE AND DEATH

After her mother's death, 12-year-old Lulu has been living in a run-down SUV with her younger sister, Serena, and their devastated father. Montana is a far cry from their familiar Texas, but they've made it work, setting up camp in an RV park, spending days at school and work, and sleeping in the car at night. Dad promises better days ahead, but their precarious existence is upended when, one day, he fails to return home. An increasingly anxious Lulu carries on as usual, fearing sibling separation if anyone finds out. Waiting for her father's return, she dodges questions and cares for Serena while navigating middle school and increasingly suspicious (but kind) townspeople. Fox's moving story is told in flashes of the "Now," "Before," and "Way Before," slowly and affectingly filling in the family's history, as well as a detailed explanation of their situation. A reassuring but realistic ending encourages readers to ask for help when needed and emphasizes that there is always someone who will care. A compassionate and empathetic examination of being unhoused.--Booklist "August 1, 2021"

Twelve-year-old Lulu must care for her little sister when they are left homeless and alone.

The girls' father disappears one morning from the Chevy Suburban in which he, Lulu, and Selena live. They've been in an RV park in Montana since driving up from Texas, where the girls' mother died after a devastating, financially ruinous illness. For two weeks, Lulu manages to keep up the routine (food bank, laundromat, and picking up Selena from her after-school program), fending off queries about her dad. The narrative focus stays tightly with Lulu's point of view, her understanding of the world informing her decisions. She's afraid to ask for help, believing that she and Selena will be separated if anyone finds out about their situation. Lulu, the target of the contempt of some classmates, is befriended by both Jack, a boy who persuades her to try out for the school musical, and the town librarian, who unwittingly provides a refuge. Fox offers a message via Jack when he learns about Lulu's life: "No one should have to live in a car." Cranes--paper ones that Lulu and Selena fold, inspired by both the story of Hiroshima survivor Sadako Sasaki and the sandhill cranes migration--represent wishes granted and a kind of grace, leading to a satisfying, redemptive conclusion nicely pitched to a young audience. All the characters seem to be White.

Sobering and convincing. (author's note) --Kirkus Reviews "June 15, 2021"

About the Author

Janet Fox is an author, mom, outdoor enthusiast, and former teacher. She's been to the bottom of the ocean in a submersible and had a brief fling with rock stardom. Her award-winning stories include picture books through young adult novels but have won her fans of all ages. She lives in Bozeman, Montana. Find out more at JanetSFox.com.