"Dicey's Song" by Cynthia Voigt

Even though it is a Newbery Award winning book, I wasn't as impressed with Cynthia Voigt's Dicey's Song.  I suppose I felt like it didn't have as much heart as Homecoming.  With Homecoming, I felt compelled to keep reading to find out what would happen with the Tillerman children but with Dicey's Song it was hard to feel as interested reading about school problems and other slightly mundane topics.

Now that they are settled in with their Grandmother, the Tillerman children focus their time on school and hobbies.  Dicey is a decent student, though she does not have a knack for home economics.  She gets a job after school to help bring in some income to cover her grandmother's newly acquired expenses and to provide an allowance for her siblings.  The four children begin to fit into a routine with their new lives.  I'm finding it difficult to insert interesting tidbits to include, there just weren't many.  Probably the only thing really worth reading is getting some closure with the Tillerman's mother.  It was nice to see that this storyline wasn't going to drag out through the entirety of the series, but even it didn't feel like it had a lot of emotion attached to it.  I guess this book felt like it didn't have as much heart in it, which really surprised me.  I must expect a lot out of the Newbery winners, but maybe this was just a slow year for books (I really don't know a whole lot about 1980s literature).  I plan on finishing the series so hopefully the storyline will pick up a bit.

Happy Reading!
-Melly

"Homecoming" by Cynthia Voigt

I first read this book about five years ago.  I got really into it and planned to finish the series right then and there.  Sadly, life got in the way and that just didn't happen.  So now I am attempting again.  My very first experience with this book was seeing part of the Lifetime movie (I didn't get to finish it, but if I come across a copy of it, I would like to).  Years later when I picked up the book, it sparked memories and I realized that this was the inspiration for said movie.  From what I did see (and remember), I prefer the book.

Homecoming by Cynthia Voigt, opens with four children on their way to their great-aunt's home.  Their mother had pulled into the mall parking lot and they were told to wait for her to return.  There's just one problem- she doesn't come back.  Eventually the four, led by oldest sister Dicey, set out on foot to get to their aunt's with hope that their mother will be waiting for them.  The majority of the book is dedicated to how to manage to get food, find places to sleep and the people they meet that help (or don't) them on their journey.  The rest of the book follows what happens when they make it to their destination and discover it isn't what they were looking for and where they go from there.

Parts of this book are hard to get through.  There are times when it seems rather long and drawn out.  But I suppose this makes sense as the children's journey is also long and drawn out.  I was never bored reading it, but there were several times that I felt like skipping ahead just because the time focused on walking and traveling does get a little tiresome after awhile.  I must say, I am impressed with the way Dicey, James, Maybeth and Sammy come together when they are abandoned by their mother.  Though it would be very easy to just give up and fall apart, they form a bond like no other that helps them on their journey.  Though she is only thirteen, Dicey has a real sense of survival and does a good job at mothering and providing for her siblings.  At times their predicament is a bit unbelievable, but I can imagine that if in this sort of situation, this is how someone would react.  I am slowly working my way through the entire series and so far recommend it (at the very least, give this one a try).

Happy Reading!
-Melly