The In-Between - by Katie Van Heidrich (Paperback)

About the Book

"After being evicted from their home, thirteen-year-old Katie Wingate and her family move into an Extended Stay America Motel where she tries to lead a normal life, all the while wondering if things would be easier living with her father"--

Book Synopsis

For fans of Enchanted Air by Margarita Engle and Life in Motion by Misty Copeland, this middle grade memoir in verse with "stellar writing [and] perfect pacing" (Kirkus Reviews, starred review) chronicles a young girl and her family who must start over after losing their home.

In the early 2000s, thirteen-year-old Katie Van Heidrich has moved more times that she can count, for as long as she can remember. There were the slow moves where you see the whole thing coming. There were the fast ones where you grab what you can in seconds. When Katie and her family come back from an out-of-town funeral, they discover their landlord has unceremoniously evicted them, forcing them to pack lightly and move quickly.

They make their way to an Extended Stay America Motel, with Katie's mother promising it's temporary. Within the four walls of their new home, Katie and her siblings, Josh and Haley, try to live a normal life--all while wondering if things would be easier living with their father. Lyrical and forthcoming, Katie navigates the complexities that come with living in-between: in between homes, parents, and childhood and young adulthood, all while remaining hopeful for the future.

Review Quotes

"The In-Between is a tribute to resilience in the face of adversity. Filled with compassion and tenderness, this memoir in verse will resonate with anyone who has ever felt stuck in between parents, in between homes, or in between childhood and adulthood."--Megan E. Freeman, award-winning poet and author of Alone

"Van Heidrich skillfully depicts the complexities of housing insecurity, financial precarity, and adolescent growing pains via lyrical text in this unflinching yet hopeful read."-- "Publishers Weekly"

"Van Heidrich's work is ideal for readers who enjoy real-world stories that read like fiction and don't shy away from struggle."-- "Booklist"

"Wingate masterfully describes her childhood emotions as well her mother's confusing choices and mental health struggles with compassion and nuance.
Stellar writing, perfect pacing, and a sophisticated treatment of universal themes make this a must-read." Starred Review-- "Kirkus "

About the Author

An Atlanta native, Katie Van Heidrich graduated from Brown University with a BA in Africana studies and religious studies. Upon graduation, she taught fifth grade reading and social studies at a charter school in Charlotte, North Carolina, through Teach for America. Katie relocated to San Francisco, California, in 2015 and continued to teach and coach middle school social studies. Working with underserved children from diverse backgrounds, she is tasked with empowering students to reimagine the world we live in while affirming their place in it. In her daily teaching, Katie aims to help children realize their abilities to advance change. In her free time, Katie is an avid reader and self-proclaimed picture book enthusiast. She and her husband are the parents of two young sons.