The Perfect Place - by Teresa E Harris (Paperback)

About the Book

When Treasure's dad disappears and Mom sets out to track him down, twelve-year-old Treasure and her little sister Tiffany are stuck with their Great-Aunt Grace, whose many rules make for a miserable living situation. As time stretches on and Dad doesn't turn up, Treasure, Tiffany, and their mother have to accept that he isn't coming back. It's Great-Aunt Grace who takes them in, and together they learn that their unconventional family can be just as whole without him.

Book Synopsis

"Pretty near perfect."--Kirkus Reviews Treasure's father has been gone for months. He's done it before, but has never taken this long to send word, and Mom is tired of waiting. So Mom leaves Treasure and Tiffany with her aunt Grace while she goes looking for him. Great-Aunt Grace can't cook and she doesn't even own a TV. Treasure is sure that the weeks she is stuck there will be the worst of her life. She also knows eventually she'll find the perfect place: a home with just Mom, Dad, and Tiffany. But living with Great-Aunt Grace isn't like Treasure expected. Turns out, the perfect place isn't always what you imagine it to be.

Review Quotes

"Though good family-in-transition stories are not rare, ones that authentically portray an African American experience are, and readers will find this one pretty near perfect." --Kirkus "Harris weaves humor, a light mystery, and a tender coming-of-age story in this unforgettable novel." --School Library Journal "Readers will find sly humor here as well as the pleasure of seeing justice done on several levels. A satisfying first novel with a realistic but heartening ending." --Booklist "The small-town dynamics draw on recognizable characters without becoming stereotypes; Great-Aunt Grace, for instance, is full of surprises. Treasure herself is a resourceful and mature sixth-grader who stands up for herself and earns the well-deserved respect of the adults in her life." --Bulletin

About the Author

Teresa E. Harris earned her bachelor's degree in English from Columbia University and an MFA in writing for children from Vermont College, where she won numerous awards.