this book is so sad but also full of suprises and this is 1 of my favorite books
Keeping Safe the Stars
By Sheila O'Connor
| Interest Level | Reading Level | Reading A-Z | ATOS | Word Count |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grades 4 - 8 | Grades 2 - 4 | n/a | 4 | 61127 |
When crisis hits, a young girl becomes the only one left to take care of her family
Pride, Nightingale and Baby are the Stars. Orphaned and living with their grandfather, Old Finn, in rural Minnesota, the children, like their grandfather, are wary of outsiders. They believe, as Old Finn taught them, in self-reliance.
But then Old Finn falls seriously ill and is taken to the hospital all the way in Duluth, leaving the children to fend for themselves. Pride, as oldest, assumes the lead. Though she makes mistakes, she keeps them afloat; they even earn money for the bus trip to Duluth. But when they finally see Old Finn, he can't walk or even say his own name, and Pride knows her days of keeping safe the Stars are drawing to a close. Self-reliance can't make Old Finn well again. But maybe, just maybe, a secret from Old Finn's past might make a way for them to stay together after all.
A poignant story about family and love, Sheila O'Connor has delivered another extraordinary and mesmerizing tale.
Pride, Nightingale and Baby are the Stars. Orphaned and living with their grandfather, Old Finn, in rural Minnesota, the children, like their grandfather, are wary of outsiders. They believe, as Old Finn taught them, in self-reliance.
But then Old Finn falls seriously ill and is taken to the hospital all the way in Duluth, leaving the children to fend for themselves. Pride, as oldest, assumes the lead. Though she makes mistakes, she keeps them afloat; they even earn money for the bus trip to Duluth. But when they finally see Old Finn, he can't walk or even say his own name, and Pride knows her days of keeping safe the Stars are drawing to a close. Self-reliance can't make Old Finn well again. But maybe, just maybe, a secret from Old Finn's past might make a way for them to stay together after all.
A poignant story about family and love, Sheila O'Connor has delivered another extraordinary and mesmerizing tale.
Publisher: Puffin Books
ISBN-13: 9780142427583
ISBN-10: 0142427586
Published on 3/6/2014
Binding: Paperback
Number of pages: 320
Book Reviews (2)
Pride, Nightingale, and Baby live on a small farm with Old Finn, who took them out of the orphanage. They are the Stars, Old Finn is their grandpa whom takes care of them. They live a low life without anybody knowing much about them; self-reliance is Old Finn’s way of life. When Old Finn gets ill and taken to the bigger hospital in Duluth, the Stars start worrying. They open a business where they do pony rides and sell popcorn and souvenirs, so they can get enough money to go see Old Finn. When they get a regular customer who writes in magazines, they start to grow suspicious of him, and they get enough money to visit Old Finn, but when they get there, he can barely say anything. As the Stars start worrying and fearing going back to the orphanage, they need a miracle to happen. In a heartfelt novel, Sheila O’Connor makes readers want to read more books of hers. My thoughts: I thought this was a really great book. The storyline was perfect, and the way she writes is really enticing. It was almost like I was there when I read it, going through the troubles with them. I love the cover, and how it is narrated by Pride, the oldest. I can’t wait to read more books by Sheila O’Connor, and I think she set this story in the perfect year; 1974. I enjoyed this book very much, and I think that you will too. Overall: 9 out of 10 Stars