"Hope is a thing with feathers that perches in the soul," is the line of Emily Dickinson's poetry that sixth-grader Frannie is fascinated by. Frannie is asking a lot of questions about her world already as her brother is hearing-impaired, and her mother has had a miscarriage. Will life always be like this? Then, into her all-black class walks a very pale boy who is immediately given the name, Jesus Boy. This story invites readers to consider prejudice, disabilities and lives filled with great challenges. This is a 2008 Newbery Honor winner. Ages 9-13 144 pages





African American